Fred Jones Tools Tools Teaching for Teaching

SStudtudy Gy Grroup Aoup Acctivittivity Gy Guideuide

Patrick JonesFredric H. Jones

TTooolsols forfor TTeachingeachingCompanion to Dr. Jones’

and the

for the Second Edition of Tools for Teaching – Latest Update: April 2, 2007

Tools TeachingFred Jones

Tools for TeachingSecond Edition

Discipline • Instruction • Motivation

http://www.fredjones.com

Introduction 1

Organization Meeting 5

Meeting 1: Working the Crowd and Room Arrangement 8

Meeting 2: Praise, Prompt, and Leave 11

Meeting 3: Providing Visual Instructional Plans 14

Meeting 4: Say, See, Do Teaching 17

Meeting 5: Rules, Routines, and Standards 20

Meeting 6: Understanding Brat Behavior 24

Meeting 7: Calm and Consistency 26

Meeting 8: The Body Language of Meaning Business 29

Meeting 9: Eliminating Backtalk 32

Meeting 10: Responsibility Training 37

Meeting 11: Omission Training and Preferred Activity Time 40

Meeting 12: Dealing with Typical Classroom Crises 43

Addenda

A: Mess Up: Praise, Prompt, and Leave 46

B: Mess Up: Visual Instructional Plan 49

C: Partner Teaching 51

D: Breathing Practice 53

E: The Turn 58

F: Smile Practice 64

G: Moving In and Moving Out 70

H: Goof Off 82

I: Group Problem Solving Process 85

J: Peer Observation Feedback 89

TTable of Cable of Cononttenentsts

Building Study GroupsWhy Study Groups?

Mastering the SpecificsTools for Teaching is packed with specifics. If you are to master Tools for Teaching,

you will need to study it chapter by chapter. The purpose of our Study GroupActivity Guide is to provide the structure for making this study as productive aspossible.

A Little Help from Your FriendsImplementing Tools for Teaching will be a lot easier with a little help from your

friends. Going through the book with a colleague will greatly increase your com-fort level as you try out new ideas in your classroom.

You will receive even more help if you form a Study Group at your school site.The Study Group can help you perfect management skills prior to implementa-tion in the classroom, and it can help you solve difficult management problemsas they arise.

Affordable Staff DevelopmentWith adequate structure, a brief after school meeting can become a significant

learning experience. The Study Group Activity Guide provides structure for thepractice exercises and learning activities that produce comfort with new skills.Hopefully, working with colleagues will become a permanent part of your schoolculture. The time invested in the Study Group will be recouped in parent con-ferences and IEP meetings that are no longer needed.

TToools ols ffororTTeachingeachingSStudtudy Gy Grroup Aoup Acctivittivity Gy Guideuide

InIntrtrooducductiontion

1

Study Group ContentMeeting Agenda

The Tools for Teaching Study Group Activity Guide provides structure for 12Study Group meetings of roughly 45 minutes duration plus an organizationalmeeting to help you get started. The 12 Study Group meetings will focus on thefollowing skill areas:

1) Working the Crowd and Room Arrangement (Chapters 1-4)

2) Praise, Prompt, and Leave (Chapters 5, 6)

3) Visual Instructional Plans (Chapter 7)

4) Say, See, Do Teaching (Chapters 8-10)

5) Rules, Routines, and Standards (Chapters 11, 12)

6) Understanding Brat Behavior (Chapters 13, 15)

7) Calm and Consistency (Chapter 14)

8) The Body Language of Meaning Business (Chapters 16, 17)

9) Eliminating Backtalk (Chapters 18, 19)

10) Responsibility Training (Chapters 20, 21)

11) Omission Training and Preferred Activity Time (Chapters 22, 23)

12) Dealing with Typical Classroom Crises (Chapters 24, 25)

Meeting StructureEach Study Group meeting will contain the following:

• Focus Questions: These questions guide your reading of Tools for Teachingand structure discussions of key concepts during your weekly meetings.

• Study Group Activities: These skill building exercises and classroom sim-ulations provide practice of key classroom management skills.

• The Video Toolbox: When incorporating the Video Toolbox into yourStudy Group meetings, these video training sessions enhance the StudyGroup Activities by providing insight and visual reference from Dr. Jones.

• Performance Checklists: These outline the steps of implementing eachmajor skill and serve as a handy review.

2

3

Study Group ActivitiesStudy Group meetings contain the same activities that Dr. Jones uses in his

workshops. These activities transform an after school meeting into a hands-onworkshop. Study Group activities range from skill practice exercises to simula-tions of complex classroom management situations. These exercises and simula-tions are described in detail in the Addenda to the Study Group Activity Guide.

While Study Group leaders can reproduce the practice exercises by studyingthese Addenda, as always, a picture is work a thousand words. In order to makecoaching as easy as possible, all practice exercises are modeled by Dr. Jones onthe Coaching Disc of the Video Toolbox.

Study Group Activity Guide AddendaA: Mess Up: Praise, Prompt, and Leave – a simulation for practicing

Praise, Prompt and Leave with a preexisting lesson plan

B: Mess Up: Visual Instructional Plan – a simulation for practicing Praise, Prompt, and Leave following the teaching of a lesson by a group member using his or her VIP

C. Partner Teaching – a simple and efficient format for Say, See, Do Teaching that is applicable to any subject area

D: Breathing Practice – a relaxation exercise that lays the foundation for learning the body language of “meaning business”

E: The Turn – the integration of relaxation and a commitment tomeaning business that signals to students the beginning of Limit Setting

F: Smile Practice – an exercise for practicing relaxation in the face of backtalk

G: Moving In and Moving Out – a series of exercises that buildproficiency in the body language of meaning business for situations that range from students simply “fooling around” to nasty backtalk

H: Goof Off – a simulation for practicing Limit Setting in a wide variety of realistic classroom situations

I: Group Problem Solving Process – an efficient problem solving format that creates safety and comfort for group members

J: Peer Observation Feedback – a simple and supportive format for giving feedback to colleagues following a classroom observation

Study Group SupplementsVideo Toolbox

Any attempt to build skills must rely heavily on the visual modality. The VideoToolbox augments Tools for Teaching by giving you a front row seat at one of Dr.Jones’ workshops. In the Video Toolbox Dr. Jones explains procedures, models keyskills, and demonstrates skill building exercises.

The Video Toolbox contains 12 training sessions which correspond to the 12Study Group meetings, an Overview Disc which highlights the entire Tools forTeaching program, and a Coaching Disc which models the steps of each StudyGroup activity. Also, DVD training sessions 1, 3, 4, 5, 10 and 11 include bonusfootage of Tools for Teaching at work in real classrooms. Using the Video Toolboxwill increase your meeting’s length from 45 min. to approximately 75 min.

www.fredjones.comThe Study Group Activity Guide is provided free of charge on our web site

(www.fredjones.com). We encourage you to download it and print copies foreach participant. The web site also contains a PAT Bank where teachers canshare enrichment ideas and learning games, a message board, articles by Dr.Jones and much more.

Tools for Teaching WorkshopsDr. Jones presents three-day Tools for Teaching workshops throughout North

America to provide training in the skills of classroom management. While manyof the participants are individual teachers, over half of the participants representtraining teams from school districts or school sites. With the structure providedby Tools for Teaching, the Study Group Activity Guide, and the Video Toolbox, train-ing teams can reproduce Dr. Jones’ program with a high degree of accuracy afterreturning from the workshop. See the “Workshops” section of our web site forcurrent dates and locations (www.fredjones.com/workshops).

4

http://www.fredjones.com/workshops

http://www.fredjones.com

Study Group StructureStudy Group Pledge

“I promise to be the kind of student that I would like my own students to be.I will show up on time, read the assigned chapters before coming to the StudyGroup meeting, and participate actively in discussions and group exercises.”

Meeting GuidelinesIf you receive significant benefit from attending your Study Group, you will

keep attending. It is extremely important, therefore, that Study Groups be pro-ductive. Study Group guidelines are designed to ensure a minimum of wastedtime. They embody years of experience with such groups.

Meet RegularlyMeet on a regular weekly basis. When meetings are held less often such as bi-

weekly, attendance tends to drop off. These meetings should be placed at thehighest level of priority by both the principal and participating faculty so thatthey are never cross-scheduled with other faculty activities.

Keep the Group SmallGroup size should be kept small so that each member’s concerns can be

addressed in a timely fashion. Work groups of this type are most productive whenthe size is limited to roughly 5-8 individuals. If you attempt to simplify schedul-ing by having one large group, attendance will drop off until you have one smallgroup. At a given school site there may eventually be several study groups. Cross-scheduling can be minimized by having them all meet after school on the same

5


OrOrganizaganization Mtion Meetingeeting

6

day. If you have a large group attending your organizational meeting, break upinto smaller units at that time.

Start On Time and End On TimeMost Study Groups will meet after school. Do not wait for everyone to show up.

If you do, you will always start late. Keep the meetings short (45 minutes is mostcommon), and always end at a preset time.

Get To WorkSomebody has to be responsible for saying, “Let’s get started.” That person is

the Study Group leader for that week’s meeting. Rotate the job so that everyonetakes a turn. A simple agenda helps to get things started. For example, the meet-ing might begin with the sharing of a PAT.

No ComplainingWe all have cares and worries that come from students, parents, and adminis-

trators. If colleagues start bringing these issues into the Study Group, it will killthe Study Group. Colleagues who want to use group time to air complaints willconsume the first half of the meeting, and those colleagues who would rather“get down to brass tacks” will quit coming.

No “Big Issues”Focus on implementing Tools for Teaching. This is not a “mini” faculty meeting.

Study Group LeadershipSomeone In Charge

Each meeting of the Study Group will have a designated leader. The job ofStudy Group leader can be shared by all group members on a rotating basis. TheStudy Group leader will be responsible for the following:

• being in charge of the meeting. The Study Group leader will begin andend the meeting on time and be in charge of the agenda.

• being the teacher for group learning activities. The Study Group leaderwill review the protocols for learning activities and simulations that arescheduled for his or her meeting (see Addenda).

• being moderator of group problem solving. The Study Group leader willreview the Group Problem Solving Process (see Addendum I) so that heor she can moderate group problem solving should it be required.

Study Group Leader Sign-up

Preparation for Next MeetingStudy Group Members:

ReadChapter 1: Learning from the “Natural” TeachersChapter 2: Focusing on PreventionChapter 3: Working the CrowdChapter 4: Arranging the Room

Study Group Leader:• Preview the next meeting’s agenda.

• Bring graph paper for everyone.

• Bring a roll of paper towels.

• If you have the Video Toolbox, see the red box on page 2 of the VideoToolbox Handbook.

7

Week Leader’s Name

1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10.11.12.

8

Working the Crowd and Room ArrangementReading Assignment

Chapter 1: Learning from the “Natural” TeachersChapter 2: Focusing on PreventionChapter 3: Working the CrowdChapter 4: Arranging the Room

FocusA good room arrangement makes “working the crowd” easier. The optimal

room arrangement allows you to get from any student to any other student withthe fewest steps. You need both compactness and generous walkways. Achieving thisrequires a high degree of planfulness in the spatial arrangement of your furni-ture.

Focus Questions for Reading1) Traditionally we have referred to the skills of classroom management as a

“bag of tricks.” Why is it necessary to have a classroom management sys-tem as opposed to “a bag of tricks?” (pages 22-25)

2) If you were to stand at the back of a typical classroom and observe “goof-ing off,” what behaviors would you most often see? (pages 6-7)

3) What is the most common way in which teachers and parents deal withthese everyday disruptions? (pages 7-10)


MMeeting Oneeeting One

4) How can you tell when a management procedure is working? (pages 22-23)

5) Describe the calculations that students subconsciously make as you movefrom the red to the yellow to the green zones? How does working the crowd“disrupt the disruptions?” (pages 30-33)

6) How does working the crowd provide “camouflage” for setting limits on dis-ruptive students? (page 34)

7) Looking at the diagrams of room arrangements on pages 41-45 of Tools forTeaching, which pattern would work best for you?

8) If you have a classroom with work stations that cannot be moved, how couldyou arrange the furniture for brief presentations to the group that wouldallow you to work the crowd in at least an abbreviated fashion?

Study Group ActivitiesWith Video Toolbox: View Session One (optional DVD Bonus)

Without Video Toolbox: Discuss the Focus Questions

Design Your Room ArrangementTake the piece of graph paper supplied by your group leader and spend ten

minutes drawing your room arrangement.

Move FurnitureNothing facilitates room rearrangement more than to have a few of your Study

Group partners enter your classroom and say, “Well, where do you want the furni-ture?” Extra hands and some friends with which to brainstorm makes the jobmuch easier.

Divide the Study Group into “furniture moving squads” of three or four andmake the rounds of each member’s classroom. Start by removing obstacles fromthe middle front of the classroom, and then lay out your interior loop.

Have the members of the furniture moving squad sit in your desks. Unroll thepaper towel (provided by your group leader) between your colleagues’ toes andthe desks in front of them to represent a walkway. Adjust your room arrangementuntil all of your walkways are wide enough to allow easy passage.

Talk to the CustodianBefore your next meeting, it might be a good idea to check with the custodial

staff so that they know what you are doing and why. They may need to help youmove cabinets or shelves. Ask them if there is anything you can do to make theirjob easier in the light of your need to work the crowd.

9

Performance Checklist• Remove barriers from the middle front of the classroom so you can bring

the students’ desks forward. Often, this simply entails moving your deskto a corner in the front of the room.

• Bring the students’ desks as far forward as possible.

• If there is an overhead projector, see if you can place it so that it does notoccupy “the best seats in the house.” Sometimes you can turn it 90degrees to project on a side wall. See if you can have a student operate theoverhead projector in order to free you up to work the crowd.

• Lay out your walkways so that you can get from any student to any otherstudent in the fewest steps. Usually the most efficient pattern of walkwayswill contain a “loop” in the middle of the room.

• If you have work stations that cannot be moved, see if you can have thestudents bring their chairs close to you for group presentations.

• Make your aisles wide enough so that you will not constantly be steppingover feet and backpacks. In order to reduce obstacles in the walkways, youmay wish to have students lay their backpacks along the back wall so thatonly relevant books and materials are brought to the desks.

• Make sure that students are arranged in pairs to facilitate easy interaction.Move students until you have partner pairs that work well together.

Preparation for Next SessionStudy Group Members

ReadChapter 5: Weaning the Helpless HandraisersChapter 6: Praise, Prompt, and Leave – The Verbal Modality

Study Group Leader• Preview the next meeting’s agenda.

• Review the protocol for playing “Mess Up: Praise, Prompt, and Leave” inAddendum A of the Study Group Activity Guide.


10

Praise,Prompt,and LeaveReading Assignment

Chapter 5: Weaning the Helpless HandraisersChapter 6: Praise, Prompt, and Leave – The Verbal Modality

FocusThe focus of this meeting is the giving of corrective feedback. We want to give

clear feedback in the shortest amount of time so that we can:

• begin to wean the helpless handraisers.

• regain the ability to work the crowd.We will concentrate on the verbal modality. What do you say when giving cor-

rective feedback to a student? How can you give students all of the informationthey need and leave as quickly as possible?

Focus Questions1) How many helpless handraisers do you have in your class? Are they the

same students every day? How much of your time do they consume?

2) What forms of dependency and “clingyness” other than handraising doyou observe in your classroom?

3) What are the limitations of long-term auditory memory that would governthe duration of corrective feedback? (pages 60-61)

11


MMeeting eeting TTwwoo

12

4) Why do we always tend to find the error when looking at other people’swork? (pages 62-63)

5) Why do people tend to get defensive when they are given corrective feed-back? Have you observed this outside of your classroom? Have you expe-rienced it? When? (page 65)

6) Describe Praise, Prompt and Leave beginning with the relaxing breath.(pages 66-68)

Study Group ActivitiesWith Video Toolbox: View Session Two


Play “Mess Up: Praise, Prompt, and Leave”“Mess Up” is a game that allows you to practice Praise, Prompt and Leave. The

protocol for playing this game is contained in Addendum A of the Study GroupActivity Guide.

Mess Up is a game that simulates typical student-teacher helping interactions.During the game the group brainstorms good “Praise” and “Prompt” statements.Then, players practice them so that fluency in giving brief and focused correc-tive feedback is achieved. Use the VIP of long division on page 74 of Tools forTeaching to make things simple the first time you play.

Performance Checklist• When you see the error, take two relaxing breaths and clear your mind.

• Take a second look at the work, and ask yourself, “What is right so far?”

• Choose two features of correct performance that would be most useful inserving as a springboard to the prompt.

• Describe these two features in simple declarative sentences.

• As a bridge between the Praise and the Prompt, begin the transition sen-tence with the formula, “The next thing to do is...”

• Describe what you want the student to do next in one or two simple declar-ative sentences. Refer to any visual aides that are available, and mark onthe student’s paper in any way that might be helpful.

• Turn and leave. Resist the tendency to “hang around” to see how theprompt turns out.

Preparation for Next MeetingStudy Group Members

ReadChapter 7: Visual Instructional Plans – The Visual Modality

BringEach member of the Study Group will bring a VIP to the next meeting – some-

thing that they plan to teach during the following week.


• Review the protocol for “Mess Up: Visual Instructional Plan” inAddendum B.


13

14

Providing Visual Instructional PlansReading Assignment

Chapter 7: Visual Instructional Plans – The Visual Modality

FocusThe focus of this meeting is to:

• represent a lesson visually step-by-step.

• pre-teach the lessons playing “Mess Up: Visual Instructional Plan” inorder to trouble-shoot the VIP.

Focus Questions1) Why is it so easy to “backslide” into verbosity after having mastered the art

of giving simple verbal prompts? (pages 72-73)

2) What is the difference between a summary graphic and a VIP? (page 74)

3) How does a summary graphic open the door to wallowing? (page 74)

4) What are the main characteristics of a good set of plans? (page 74)

5) Who is the primary user of a lesson plan? (page 75)

6) How do VIPs aid the weaning process? (pages 77-78)

7) What are the various forms that a VIP can take? (pages 79-80)


MMeeting eeting TThrhreeee

15

Study Group ActivitiesWith Video Toolbox: View Session Three (optional DVD Bonus)


Play “Mess Up: Visual Instructional Plan”The game of Mess Up can be played at two different levels. You can use it to

practice Praise, Prompt and Leave as we did during the previous session, or youcan use it to trouble-shoot a VIP. The protocol for playing “Mess Up: VisualInstructional Plan” is contained in Addendum B of the Study Group ActivityGuide.

Break into subgroups of 3 or 4 to once again play Mess Up. To start the game,one of the Study Group members will teach a brief lesson while putting a VIP forthat lesson on the board along with a practice exercise. The roles for playingMess Up are 1) student, 2) teacher and 3) moderator. The person who suppliesthe VIP always plays the role of student since he or she can best mimic the stu-dents’ errors and speech patterns.

To begin the game, the teacher turns his or her back to the student. The studentmakes an error on the practice exercise that is typical for this type of assignment.The teacher then turns around to look at the error.

After taking a relaxing breath, the teacher lists for the group the things that areright so far. The moderator then engages the group in a discussion of the Praisestatement so that the person playing the role of the teacher, rather than being “onthe spot,” is part of group brainstorming. When the teacher and the group arecomfortable with the Praise statement, the brainstorming process is repeatedwith the Prompt statement. Then, the teacher practices the entirePraise/Prompt statement. Finally, the teacher turns his or her back to the studentto begin the next round as the student makes the next “mess up.”

Any flaw in the VIP will be revealed as you play Mess Up. Mess Up clarifieswhere gaps exist in the task analysis, where additional graphics are needed andwhere “chunks” of performance are too large or too small.

Performance ChecklistVIPs

• Define the performance that you want from students, and break it downinto steps. This process of task analysis is made much easier if you per-form the task yourself as you analyze it.

• Depict performance one step at a time. Make each step visual eitherthrough pictures, an outline or a Mind Map.

• As you play Mess Up, add or modify steps of the VIP if the group decidesthat clarity can be gained by doing so.

Praise, Prompt and Leave• Relax and give yourself a moment to assess what is right so far before

speaking.

• If you choose to utilize a praise statement (which is optional), make itbrief – one or two simple sentences.

• Keep the prompt brief and to the point. Exploit the graphics in the VIPto answer the question, “What do I do next?” in the fewest possible words.

• See if you can make an adequate prompt with a simple sentence or just aphrase. Beware of the natural tendency toward verbosity that we all have.

• Guard against a lengthy explanation of the VIP. A major purpose of theVIP is to serve as a substitute for lengthy explanations.


ReadChapter 8: Say, See, Do Teaching – The Physical ModalityChapter 9: Creating MotivationChapter 10: Providing Accountability


• Review the protocol for Partner Teaching in Addendum C.

• Prepare a VIP for a lesson of 10-15 minutes duration that will serve as avehicle for demonstrating Partner Teaching.


16

Say,See,Do TeachingReading Assignment

Chapter 8: Say, See, Do Teaching – The Physical ModalityChapter 9: Creating MotivationChapter 10: Providing Accountability


• practice Partner Teaching.

• get a feel for structuring a lesson as a series of Say, See, Do Cycles.

Focus Questions1) What is the most efficient way to create comprehension and long-term

memory during the teaching of a lesson? (pages 84-85)

2) How does the cognitive overload typical of Bop ‘til You Drop teaching feedinto the dependency of the helpless handraisers? (pages 86-87)

3) What is the role of coaching and Structured Practice in skill building?(pages 88-93)

4) How do you “do” a concept? What are the advantages of having studentsinteract in pairs? (pages 93-94)

17


MMeeting Feeting Fourour

18

5) How would you check students’ work during each Say, See, Do Cycle inyour subject area? How might you speed up work check as you moveamong the students?

6) What would your students like to do as sponge PATs? (pages 114-117)

Study Group ActivitiesWith Video Toolbox: View Session Four (2 optional DVD Bonuses)


Practice Partner TeachingPartner Teaching is a simple and efficient way of making learning interactive.

The protocol for Partner Teaching is contained in Addendum C of the StudyGroup Activity Guide.

Since this format is so simple, it is easy to organize. And, since the partnerpairs are doing most of the work, the classroom teacher has plenty of time tosupervise student performance during each step of the lesson.

Performance ChecklistPartner Teaching

• The classroom teacher places students into partner pairs that work welltogether.

• One of the partners “goes first” in playing the role of the teacher while theother member of the partner pair plays the role of the student.

• The classroom teacher presents a step of the lesson (i.e. a Say, See, DoCycle) to the group.

• The classroom teacher then says, “Teach your partner.”

• The partner who “goes first” (the teacher) teaches that step to his or herpartner (the student).

• The classroom teacher then says, “Now, teach the other direction.”

• The partners switch roles and repeat the step. Consequently, each mem-ber of the partner pair “learns by doing” and “learns best by teaching.”

• This process is repeated for each step of the task analysis.

• As the partners are teaching each other, the teacher can work the crowd.Typically, the teacher’s attention is focused on the students’ work. Duringa social studies lesson the teacher might simply “cruise and schmooze.”However, during a lesson which produces “correct answers” such as math,the teacher might check the students’ work.

• Checking work during Guided Practice opens the door to offering incen-tives (sponge PATs) for diligent and conscientious work.

• To offer incentives, the teacher needs to be able to check the work as it isbeing done, and the students need a Criterion of Mastery.

• A Criterion of Mastery tells the students in advance how many things(math problems, for example) have to be done in a row correctly before thestudents can be excused to hand in their papers and begin the spongePAT (usually some kind of project or enrichment activity).

Preparation for Next SessionStudy Group Members

ReadChapter 11: Succeeding from Day OneChapter 12: Teaching Routines



19

20

Rules,Routines,and StandardsReading Assignment

Chapter 11: Succeeding from Day OneChapter 12: Teaching Routines

FocusWe will learn how to teach routines and establish high standards.

Focus Questions1) How does Bell Work help to define the classroom as a work environment

while eliminating the time wasted by “settling in?” (pages 139-141)

2) What icebreaker will you use during the first class period of next semes-ter? (pages 141-143)

3) In order to act like a teacher, you have to think like a teacher. Teachingembodies the following two timeless truths:

• I say what I mean, and I mean what I say.

• We are going to keep doing this until we get it right.

How are these two timeless truths embodied in your mindset and in yourprocedures while teaching a classroom routine? (pages 147-150)


MMeeting Feeting Fivivee

4) In teaching routines, it is easier to have high standards than to have lowstandards. How does practice, practice, practice isolate the “goof offs”while getting the rest of the group to support you in establishing highstandards? (pages 150-152)

5) How do you plan to organize chores in you classroom? (pages 152-155)

6) How do you plan to communicate your standards and expectations toparents? (pages 155-157)

Study Group ActivitiesWith Video Toolbox: View Session Five (optional DVD Bonus)


Review the Teaching of a Routine• Take a few minutes to reread pages 148-150 of Tools for Teaching (Training

the class to pass through the halls quietly).

• Read the protocol for teaching the classroom routine of lining up in thePerformance Checklist below.

Begin to Develop Your School Site Procedures ManualDevelop a list of basic procedures and routines that members of the group use

on a day-to-day basis. Assign a procedure to each group member. Have eachgroup member develop a protocol for his or her routine to bring to next week’smeeting. Have each protocol include the following:

• Name of Routine

• Description of Routine

• What does it look like?

• What does it sound like?

• Training Procedures

• Criterion of Mastery

Performance ChecklistThe following protocol can serve as a model for group members as they devel-

op protocols for the School Site Procedures Manual. We have chosen to developa protocol for lining up. This is not only an extremely common procedure, but it

21

22

also logically proceeds the procedure for walking through the hall quietly that isdescribed on pages 148-150 of Tools for Teaching.

Name of RoutineLining up

Description of Routine

What does it look like?• The students will walk, not run

• They will line up in order (i.e. in the order that minimizes potential dis-ruptions as the students walk down the hall). Consider having:

• two lines rather than one in order to place the end of the line closer to the teacher.

• disruptive students near the front to be close to the teacher.

• disruptive students separated from each other by non-disruptors.

• a few trustworthy students at the end of the line to reduce straggling.

What does it sound like?• The students will be quiet as they line up.

• The students will be quiet as they wait for further instructions.

Training Procedures• Have students line up in the desired order. Have students identify the per-

sons to their right and left as well as “landmarks” they can use to find theirspot.

• Have students take their seats, and then begin practicing lining up. Set agoal for lining up quickly that can be easily reached with practice (forexample, lining up in 5 seconds). Begin slowly with a target of perhaps 20seconds, and emphasize the importance of walking in an orderly fashion.Once the students can find their places in an orderly fashion, graduallyspeed up the routine.

• Make a game out of reaching your goal. Keep practicing until you reachthe goal at least twice in a row. Congratulate the class during practice asthey approach the goal.

“You did it in 12 seconds. That is a lot fasterthan last time. Most importantly, there was norunning and no talking. Good job class.

“Now, let’s quietly take our seats, and we willpractice it again. We should get quicker everytime we do it. But, remember, walk, don’t run.

“Alright class, you may take your seats.”

Criterion of Mastery• Practice until the class can line up quietly in five seconds or less twice in

a row.

• Tell the class that this is the standard you will expect them to meet everytime they line up. In addition, tell the class that, should the routinebecome slow or sloppy, they will simply practice some more until they cando it right before leaving the classroom.


ReadChapter 13: Understanding Brat BehaviorChapter 15: Being Consistent – Our Thoughts

DoBring protocols for classroom procedures to the next meeting to be included

in the School Site Procedures Manual.



23

24

Understanding Brat BehaviorReading Assignment

Chapter 13: Understanding Brat BehaviorChapter 15: Being Consistent – Our Thoughts


• clarify the meaning of consistency (Chapter 15)

• begin to develop you School Site Procedures Manual.

Focus Questions1) Schools produce the same number of office referrals year after year. What

payoffs does Larry get for being suspended? Why doesn’t the SchoolDiscipline Code “put the lid on” as we would hope? (pages 162-165)

2) Why must a teacher embody these rule if they expect to “mean business?”

• No means no.

• I am not going to stand here and listen to your yammering.

3) What is funny about someone saying that they are “pretty consistent?”(pages 183-186)

4) How do “Weenie” parents build brat behavior? (pages 186-187)


MMeeting Seeting Sixix

Study Group ActivitiesWith Video Toolbox: View Session Six


Develop Your School Site Procedures Manual1) Share your protocols for classroom procedures.

2) Discuss additional routines that should be added to the manual.

3) Make copies of the protocols for each group member.

Performance ChecklistMake sure each protocol for a classroom routine contains the following:

• Name of Routine

• Description of Routine

• What does it look like?

• What does it sound like?

• Training Procedures

• Criterion of Mastery


ReadChapter 14: Staying Calm – Our Emotions


• Review the protocol for Breathing Practice in Addendum D.


25

Calm And ConsistencyReading Assignment

Chapter 14: Staying Calm – Our Emotions

FocusWe will learn:

• the importance of staying calm on the job.

• how to relax when provoked.

Focus Questions1) How is the fight-flight reflex related to stress? (pages 171-175)

2) What is downshifting? How does it account for us saying and doing thingsthat we later have to apologize for? (pages 177-178)

3) What is meant by, “calm is strength and upset is weakness?” Can you be incontrol of a situation without first being in control of yourself? (pages178-180)

4) The fight-flight reflex is quick, powerful, and natural. How can you abortthe fight-flight reflex before you downshift into your brainstem? (pages180-181)

26


MMeeting Seeting Seevvenen

27

Study Group ActivitiesWith Video Toolbox: View Session Seven


Do Breathing PracticeThe objective of Breathing Practice is to place relaxation under voluntary con-

trol so that we may remain calm in the face of provocation. The protocol forBreathing Practice is contained in Addendum D of the Study Group ActivityGuide.

As in the workshop, we will employ a series of practice exercises that buildfrom simple skills to more complex skills. The breathing exercises are:

• Tension/Relaxation

• Slowing the Cadence

• Visualizing Calm

• Relaxing the Jaw

Performance Checklist1) Relax (exhale) to begin a relaxing breath

2) Breath in slowly, and keep the breath “small.” A relaxing breath is not deepbreathing. Rather, it uses a minimum of energy as when you are resting.

3) Relax as you exhale. Rather than pushing air out, exhale with a simple,whole-body relaxation response.

4) Check you jaw by running your tongue back along the roof of your mouthto where you can feel the beginning of soft palate. This simply pushesyour jaw down perhaps a quarter of an inch. However, if you habitually dothis as part of a relaxing breath, you will prevent yourself from “settingyour jaw” and signalling tension and upset to the students.

Note: See Breathing Practice in Addendum D of the Study Group ActivityGuide for a detailed description of the prompting sequences used inpractice. In addition, Dr. Jones will prompt the group through each partof Breathing Practice on the Coaching Disc.


ReadChapter 16: Setting Limits – Our ActionsChapter 17: Following Through


• Review the body language for meaning business in Chapters 16-17.

• Review “The Turn” in Addendum E.


28

29

The Body Language of Meaning BusinessReading Assignment

Chapter 16: Setting Limits – Our ActionsChapter 17: Following Through

FocusWe will develop our understanding of Meaning Business – the commitment,

the consistency, and the body language.

Focus Questions1) How do students read your commitment? (pages 194-197)

2) “The Turn” is as much about commitment as it is about follow-through.Contrast the response of a teacher who means business like Miss Haineswith a “weenie” when first seeing a typical disruption like “talking toneighbors.” (pages 197-198)

3) Why do we focus so much time and attention on “The Turn?” How can aneffective turn save you work? (pages 198)

4) The students watch your body language to discriminate whether or notyou mean business. What are the key discriminative stimuli that the stu-dents read as you turn toward them? (pages 199-204)


MMeeting Eeeting Eighightt

30

5) What are the main types of pseudo-compliance as you “Move In and MoveOut,” and how do students use pseudo-compliance to cut deals? (pages208-211)

6) In the poker game of meaning business, what are the choice points dur-ing Moving In where students either raise of fold? (pages 212-216)

7) What are the true economics in Meaning Business? How does it self-elim-inate? (pages 218-219).

8) How does working the crowd combine with the body language of mean-ing business to create camouflage? (pages 220-221)

Study Group ActivitiesWith Video Toolbox: View Session Eight


Practice “The Turn”The protocol for “The Turn” is contained in Addendum E of the Study Group

Activity Guide. The Turn contains a series of practice exercises that add criticalfeatures of performance one at a time such as:

• Turn in a regal fashion.

• Point your toes.

• Get a focal point, etc.The breathing exercises from the previous meeting are integrated with The

Turn so that group members learn to begin relaxation as soon as they see the dis-ruption. The final segment of The Turn deals with the natural tendency of stu-dents to give us “smiley face” when caught goofing off as well as our tendency tosmile in return.

Performance Checklist:“The Turn”Begin with excusing yourself from Robert (page 199), relaxing and breathing

in gently before slowly standing and turning toward the disruptive students. Thecritical features of the turn, the signs by which the student can discriminatewhether or not you mean business, are the following:

• Turn in a Regal Fashion (page 199). Turn from the top down in fourparts; head, shoulder, waist, feet.

• Point Your Toes. (page 201). Never make a partial turn.

• Get a Focal Point. (pages 202)

• Relax Your Arms (pages 203)

• Relax Your Jaw (pages 203-204)

• Wait for 2 Relaxing Breaths The student will either get back to work, orthey will not. You will know soon enough. Focus on passively waitingrather than “staring them down.”


ReadChapter 18: Eliminating BacktalkChapter 19: Dealing with the Unexpected


• Review the body language for “dealing with backtalk” in Chapter 18.

• Review the protocol for “Smile Practice” in Addendum F of the StudyGroup Activity Guide.

• Review the protocol for “Moving In and Moving Out” in Addendum G ofthe Study Group Activity Guide.


31

Eliminating BacktalkReading Assignment

Chapter 18: Eliminating BacktalkChapter 19: Dealing with the Unexpected

FocusThe focus of this meeting is to practice:

• staying calm and keeping quiet in the face of backtalk.

• responding to unpredictable provocations such as a “cheap shot” as youwalk away.

Focus Questions1) What is the meaning of, “It takes one fool to backtalk, but it takes two

fools to make a conversation out of it?” (pages 224-225)

2) What is your short-term response to backtalk, and how does it help you tohave an effective long-term response? (pages 237)

3) How is reconciliation possible as an outcome of backtalk? (pages 238-239)

4) How does extreme neediness and extreme anger alter your use of bodylanguage in setting limits? (pages 242-244)

32


MMeeting Nineeeting Nine

33

Study Group ActivitiesWith Video Toolbox: View Session Nine


Do Smile PracticeThe protocol for Smile Practice is contained in Addendum F of the Study

Group Activity Guide. Smile Practice is a Partner Teaching exercise in which onepartner (the teacher) attempts to relax and keep a straight face while the otherpartner (the student) attempts to make the teacher react. Then, the partnersswitch roles.

The only way to learn to relax under pressure is to practice relaxing underpressure. In Smile Practice we begin with mild pressure (trying to make theother person laugh) and end with more severe pressure (backtalk). Thus, SmilePractice is not only a relaxation exercise, but it also preparation for dealing withbacktalk, the topic of next weeks Study Group meeting.

Practice Moving In and Moving OutIt is important for Group Members to get a sense of the timing and sequence

of “Moving In and Moving Out” as described in Chapter 17 of Tools for Teachingas a prelude to dealing with backtalk. The protocol for practicing Moving in andMoving Out is contained in Addendum G of the Study Group Activity Guide.The most important features to emphasize are:

• reading pseudo-compliance on the part of the students.

• continuing the body language poker game until the student “folds.”

• staying with a student prior to thanking them until you observe a stablepattern of work as opposed to more pseudo-compliance (eyes up-eyesdown).

• thanking the student and then remaining for two more relaxing breaths.

• giving both students equal time if two students are involved in the dis-ruption.

• turning toward the disruptive students and monitoring them after youleave so that there is no clear end to the interaction.

Practice Meaning Business with BacktalkHave the student give the teacher “whiney backtalk.” Practice Moving In as far as

“Camping Out in Front,” and then discuss when this would or would not be agood idea.

34

If you have time, have the partner pairs practice responding to the “LastHurrah” and a “cheap shot.” Once the Group Members have a good sense ofMoving In and Moving Out complete with Curve Balls (see Tools for Teaching,page 234), you will be ready to play “Goof Off” (see Addendum H).

Performance ChecklistMoving In

This scenario assumes a fairly typical student as opposed to a highly opposi-tional student. To gain a perspective on the management of atypical situations,read Chapter 19 (Dealing with the Unexpected). To troubleshoot specificresponses to difficult management situations, role play that situation as part ofGoof Off.

• After you turn, check the knees and feet of the students for pseudo-com-pliance. If you do not have full compliance, you have pseudo-compliance.Check the impulse to nag (i.e. silly talk) and walk to the student’s desks.Begin with the biggest trouble-maker.

• Check the student’s lower body for a partial turn as he or she gets back towork. This level of pseudo-compliance is known as “giving the teacherhalf a loaf.” Lean down (one palm on the desk), and give the student avisual prompt to turn forward and get to work.

• Check the student’s lower body for a partial turn after giving the studenta visual prompt. Counter pseudo-compliance with a verbal prompt. Youwill end up at “Palms” (both palms on the desk, elbows locked).

• Stay at Palms and watch the student work until you have a stable patternof work. If the student checks you out with “eyes up – eyes down,” hangin there a little longer.

• Thank the student pleasantly, and stay down at palms as the student con-tinues working. Do not stand up until you feel that you have a stable pat-tern of work. If a second student is involved, repeat the above steps.

• When both students are busy with the assignment, stand and take tworelaxing breaths as you observe them working. Then, slowly move out.

• Turn fully and point your toes toward the disruptive students and take arelaxing breath before beginning to work with another student. If the stu-dents look up, they will see a teacher who is quite willing to return if nec-essary.

35

Responding to Backtalk• Should you receive backtalk (usually in response to a verbal prompt),

take two relaxing breaths so that you do not react emotionally. Let thewords go “in one ear and out the other.”

• Either stay at Palms or move in to Camping Out in Front.

• Wait until the student runs out of gas. Then, wait some more.

• Direct the student back to work with a visual prompt if necessary. A ver-bal prompt at this point will often stimulate more backtalk.

• As you watch the student work and as you relax, consider whether anyspecial long-term response is called for in this situation. If not, thank thestudent for getting back to work and stay down as you take another relax-ing breath. Then stand, relax and move out as you normally would.

Responding to the “Last Hurrah”• Sometimes, when you thank a student, they make an unpleasant remark

such as, “Yeah, right,” or “You didn’t help me.” etc.

• Relax and let it go “in one ear and out the other.” The Last Hurrah cancatch you off balance, but it is just more of the same old whiney backtalk.If you keep your mouth shut, the student will usually run out of gas andget back to work.

• Stay down and watch the student work until you have a stable pattern ofwork. Thank the student again. Then, stand slowly and take two relaxingbreaths. Move out as before.

Responding to the “Cheap Shot”• Sometimes, as you walk away from a student, they make an unpleasant

remark such as, “Big deal,” or “I’m impressed.” Obviously, the studentwants very much to have “the last word.”

• If you hear a remark, you must respond to it. In classroom managementyou cannot turn a “deaf ear” to a problem anymore than you can turn a“blind eye.” If you know it happened, so does the whole class.

• Stop and take a relaxing breath. There is no sudden or dramaticresponse that will help you. Rather, think of your response as part ofteaching the students to treat you as you wish to be treated.

• Turn slowly, pause and walk slowly back to the edge of the students desks.Take two relaxing breaths and move slowly to Palms. Monitor the stu-dents until you have a stable pattern of work.

• Thank the students for getting back to work. If you do not know whichstudent took the “cheap shot,” thank the students collectively (“I appre-ciate your getting back to work.”). Then stand slowly and move out asbefore.


ReadChapter 20: Building CooperationChapter 21: Teaching Responsibility

BringThe Study Group leader will ask for a volunteer to share a PAT with the group

during the next meeting. The teacher who volunteers will serve as the “PATPresenter” for the week.

The PAT Presenter will lead the group in playing one of his or her favoritePATs (as opposed to just discussing it) so that the group can learn by doing. Inaddition, the PAT Presenter will write up a brief protocol of the PAT that willserve as the beginning of the group’s PAT Bank.



36

37

Responsibility TrainingReading Assignment

Chapter 20: Building CooperationChapter 21: Teaching Responsibility

FocusWe will:

• implement Responsibility Training.

• exploit PAT bonuses.

• build a PAT Bank.

Focus Questions1) How often should you schedule PAT for your students? (pages 260-261)

2) How do Hurry-up Bonuses train students to hustle? (pages 264-270)

3) How can the time loss condition seduce teachers into abusingResponsibility Training? (pages 270-271)

4) What are Automatic Bonuses used for, and how do you implement them?(pages 273-274)

5) How might you layer bonuses so that students can work for long-termgoals without giving up short-term incentives? (pages 276)


MMeeting eeting TTenen

Study Group ActivitiesWith Video Toolbox: View Session Ten (optional DVD Bonus)


Get Ready to Implement Responsibility Training• Review the procedures for implementing Responsibility Training in

Chapters 20-21

• Review the PAT ideas contained in Chapter 23 and on the website. Playacademic baseball briefly in order to learn the rules.

Share PATs• Begin a tradition of sharing one PAT per Study Group meeting. The PAT

Presenter will teach the group one of his or her favorite PATs.

• Begin to build a PAT Bank by collecting protocols for all of the PATs thatare taught during the Study Group meetings. (For model protocols, seeexamples on the website.)

• Sign-up to teach a PAT during each subsequent Study Group meetings onthe PAT Presenter sign-up list below.

38

Week PAT Presenter

1.2.3.*4.*5.*6.*7.*8.*

* You may wish to continue meeting after you have read the book just to share PATs.

Performance Checklist• Determine the time frame for giving PAT to your students, and build your

daily schedule around it.

• Explain PAT to your class.

• Give the class a free PAT so that they know what you mean by PAT. Use anenrichment activity or a learning game rather than “free time.”

• Ask the group if they would like to have PAT as part of their normal class-room routine. You may have them vote on it just to increase ownership.

• Post your gift of PAT on the classroom PAT tally.

• Explain bonuses to the class so that the group can see how they are in con-trol of the duration of the PAT. To avoid cognitive overload, you may wishto do this the following day. Give them a tease like, “Tomorrow I will tellyou how to make PAT even longer.”

• Explain dawdling and loss of PAT the day after explaining bonuses.


ReadChapter 22: Turning Problem Students AroundChapter 23: Initiating Preferred Activity Time

BringThe next PAT Presenter will bring the protocol for a favorite PAT to teach the

group. Add it to your PAT Bank. Make copies for everyone.



39

Omission Training and Preferred Activity TimeReading Assignment

Chapter 22: Turning Problem Students AroundChapter 23: Initiating Preferred Activity Time

FocusWe will:

• implement Omission Training.

• “piggyback” other management agenda onto Responsibility Trainingusing the Omission Training format.

• expand our PAT Bank.

Focus Questions1) Omission Training is the general name given to an incentive system that

trains a person or group not to do something. How can you reinforcesomeone for not doing something? (pages 284-285)

2) How does Omission Training combine with Responsibility Training tocreate a powerful, cheap, and positive means of dealing with severe andchronic discipline problems? (page 285)

3) What are the key elements of your “heart-to-heart talk” with Larry?(pages 285-286)

40


MMeeting Eeeting Elelevvenen

41

4) How can Omission Training make Larry popular? (pages 286-286)

5) How do you use Omission Training to protect automatic bonuses?(pages 291-292)

6) How might you extend Omission Training beyond discipline manage-ment to “piggyback” other management objectives onto ResponsibilityTraining? (page 293)

7) What forms of team competition have you found most effective in yourclassroom?

Study Group ActivitiesWith Video Toolbox: View Session Eleven (optional DVD Bonus)


Share More PATsThe next person on the PAT Sign-Up List will teach the group a favorite PAT.

Make sure that you play the game or do the activity for 5 or 10 minutes to get afeel for it. Add the protocol of the new PAT to your PAT Bank. If you have time,take turns sharing additional PATs.

Performance Checklist• When the “big altercation” occurs, take two relaxing breaths in order to

give yourself a chance to remember Omission Training before going toyour Backup System. (The biggest problem with Omission Training isthat, since it is seldom needed, it is forgotten when the time finallyarrives.)

• In your immediate response to the provocation, particularly if Larry hasmade a “big deal” out of PAT being “stupid,” acknowledge that you can-not make someone like PAT. This gives Larry some “space” and can oftendiffuse the situation.

• If you cannot diffuse the situation gracefully, you may have to go to yourBackup System on the spot. If you can finesse the crisis in the short term,make arrangements for your “heart-to-heart talk” with Larry before hegoes home.

• If, as a result of your “heart-to-heart talk,” Larry decides to meet you half-way, initiate Omission Training. Describe the new program to the class invery simple terms after Larry has earned the first bonus minute. Thus, theprogram is presented to the class in positive terms.


ReadChapter 24: Dealing with Typical Classroom CrisesChapter 25: Exploiting the Management System

BringThe next person on the PAT Sign-Up List will bring the protocol of a favorite

PAT to add to the PAT Bank. The PAT Presenter will take the first 5-10 minutesof the Study Group meeting to teach the PAT to the group.


• Bring a copy of your school discipline code and/or the district disciplinecode.

• Review the protocol for Goof Off in Addendum H of the Study GroupActivity Guide.

• Review the Group Problem Solving Process in Addendum I of the StudyGroup Activity Guide. Use the protocol to solve difficult managementproblems.

• Review the protocol for Peer Observation Feedback in Addendum J ofthe Study Group Activity Guide.


42

43

Dealing with Typical Classroom CrisesReading Assignment

Chapter 24: Dealing with Typical Classroom CrisesChapter 25: Exploiting the Management System

Focus• Clarify your Small Backup Response Options and their function in pre-

venting crises.

• Clarify your Medium and Large Backup Response Options and your useof the decision ladder as it operates at your school site.

• Plan for the continuation of the Study Group.

Focus Questions1) What kind of message does a Small Backup Response give to the student

who is “really pushing it?” (pages 311-312)

2) How are Small Backup Response Options an extension of Limit Setting?How does working the crowd camouflage not only Limit Stetting but alsoyour entrance into the Backup System? (pages 312-14)

3) What are the Small Backup Response options? (pages 315-317) Do youhave any other Small Backup Response options that work for you?


MMeeting eeting TTwwelvelvee

44

4) Why is the likelihood of the student’s folding in response to a warning afunction of your skill and consistency in Limit Setting? (page 319)

5) How does a positive approach to discipline management turn commonsense upside down? (pages 328-329)

6) How is relationship building an integral part of the behavior manage-ment in Tools for Teaching?

Study Group ActivitiesWith Video Toolbox: View Session Twelve


Clarify Your Use of Small Backup Response Options

Share another PAT

Follow ThroughDiscuss whether or not the group members want to continue meeting in order

to share ideas and solve problems. If you do:

• select a meeting time.

• continue sharing PATs

• begin to observe in each others’ classrooms.

Follow Through ActivitiesNow that you have the key skills of classroom management under your belt,

you can use them to solve truly difficult problems that, until now, have seemedto defy solution. The following three activities will facilitate problem solving bythe Study Group, and they will provide much of the structure for your groupmeetings should you choose to continue working together.

Playing Goof OffGoof Off is a simulation game that allows the group members to practice Limit

Setting with realistic situations as they unfold. Goof Off is especially effective inhelping the group map “uncharted territory” in management. With Goof Off thegroup can brainstorm responses to tough situations and then rehearse the strate-gies in order to fine-tune them.

If you do not have time to play Goof Off during this meeting, return to it in

future meetings. It will provide your “advanced course” in Limit Setting. Theprotocol for playing Goof Off is contained in Addendum H.

Group Problem Solving ProcessThe classroom management procedures contained in Tools for Teaching repre-

sent the most cost-effective procedures for managing the range of problems thattypically occur in a classroom. Extremely deviant or bizarre behavior may requirea specialized behavior management program of the type found in clinical set-tings. Guidelines for building such programs are contained in Dr. Jones’ bookPositive Classroom Discipline in the chapter entitled “Behavioral Modification andParallel Programs.” This chapter can be found online at our Tools for Teaching WebConnection. (See Tools for School Site Management.)

Before investing the time and effort necessary for building a specialized behav-ior management program, however, use the Group Problem Solving Process con-tained in Addendum I in order to fully exploit Tools for Teaching. Have a groupmember volunteer to present a problem that has been particularly difficult tosolve. Use this problem as a vehicle for becoming familiar with the GroupProblem Solving Process.

Observing Each Other’s ClassroomsIt is important to begin observing each other’s classrooms as an avenue to

sharing and mastering new skills. It is virtually impossible to analyze your own useof newly acquired skills while in the midst of teaching a lesson.

Divide the Study Group into partner pairs and set up a schedule for one part-ner to observe the other during the coming week. Then, switch during the fol-lowing week so that partners observe each other’s classrooms during a two weekperiod. Then, choose new partners for the following two weeks’ observations.

Naturally, the most difficult part of partner observation is covering the class-rooms of the observers. While this is never easy, “where there is a will, there is away.” Sometimes administrators can cover classrooms. Sometimes a substituteteacher can be hired to cover several classrooms in a single day. And, sometimesteachers can “double up” or use “prep” periods to cover classrooms.

It might be helpful prior to this first observation to have the partners meet toconfer on the lesson being taught. Perhaps they could plan the lesson together.This will put the teacher being observed at ease since the lesson is a sharedendeavor. Check Addendum J for guidelines for giving feedback following a peerobservation.

45

Mess Up:Praise,Prompt,and LeaveObjectives

• Practicing Praise, Prompt and Leave

• Reducing verbosity

Materials And Preparation• A lesson plan in VIP format.

• The materials and equipment normally used to present the lesson.

Participants• A group of 3-5 teachers

• The Study Group leader or a colleague serving as coach

Roles• Teacher

• Student who “messes-up”

• Coach

The Play1) The Study Group member who plays the role of teacher will supply a les-

son plan in VIP format plus a sample practice exercise for that lesson. Ifthe group is not yet familiar with VIPs, the teacher may wish to use “long

46


AAddendum Addendum A

47

division” from Tools for Teaching, page 74, or some other lesson familiar tothe group.

2) Participants take the roles of teacher, student who “messes up,” and coach.The colleague who presents the VIP will play the role of student since theyare best able to mimic the errors that students make on this assignment.

3) The teacher turns his or her back to the student as the student begins thepractice exercise. While performing the first part of the practice exercise,the student makes an error. After they have “messed-up,” they say “Ready.”

4) The teacher turns around to look at the student’s performance while they:

• take two relaxing breaths.

• formulate a Praise statement.

5) The coach says to the teacher,

“What is right so far?”

After the teacher shares his or her Praise statement, the coach says:

“Are you comfortable with it, or do you want to give it anothertry?”

6) After the teacher is comfortable with his or her praise statement, the coachsays to the student:

“Is there anything else that we should mention in the praise?

This prompt triggers informal discussion between group members of thePraise statement. If many items have been singled out for praise, the coachwill then say:

“Let’s pick one or two items to mention in the Praise statementin order to keep it short. What would be the most useful itemsto mention?”

7) After this discussion of the Praise statement, the coach says to the teacher:

“Let’s hear your Praise statement now.”

After hearing the Praise statement, if it seems verbose, the coach mightsay:

“Now, say that in half as many words.”

As you can see, the coach’s job is to structure group brainstorming with afew simple, open-ended prompts. At all times, however, the teacher is incontrol. Teachers can choose what they like from the brainstorming as theyformulate their own statements.

One of the most useful contributions of the coach apart from structuringsome simple “give and take” among group members is to say, “Now, saythat in half as many words.” Usually, the teacher can do this. In this stepmore than any other, the teacher learns to replace verbosity with a simpledeclarative sentence or two.

8) The coach then says:

“Now, let’s go to the Prompt statement. What exactly do youwant the student to do next?”

The coach again engages the group in some simple brainstorming. Thediscussion is usually brief, but it can help the teacher to be clear and spe-cific. Then, as with the Praise statement, the coach may say:

“Now, say that in half as many words.”

9) Finally, the coach says to the teacher:

“Now, let’s put both parts together. Then, turn around as you‘Praise, Prompt, and Leave.’”

After the teacher does Praise, Prompt, and Leave, the coach says to the stu-dent:

“Now, do the next part of the practice exercise. After you have‘messed up,’ say ‘Ready,’ and we will turn around again.”

10) After the student makes the next “mess up” and says “Ready,” the processof generating a Praise/Prompt statement is repeated. After one or twotimes through the group brainstorming process, the group gets the hangof it, and the coach’s role shrinks as group members spontaneously conferon how best to phrase the Praise and Prompt statements.

48

Mess Up:Visual Instructional PlanObjectives

• Practicing the simple verbiage of Praise, Prompt and Leave

• Troubleshooting a VIP before presenting it to students

Materials And Preparation• A lesson plan in VIP format prepared by each participant

• The materials and equipment normally used to present the lesson.



Roles• Teacher

• Student who “messes-up”

• Coach

The Play1) A member of the Study Group presents:

• his or her lesson plan in VIP format to the group.

• a sample practice exercise for the lesson.

49


AAddendum Bddendum B

2) Participants take the roles of:

• coach

• teacher

• student

The colleague who presents the VIP will play the role of student since heor she is best able to mimic the errors that students make on this assign-ment.

3) After the student presents his or her lesson, the group plays Mess Up. PlayMess Up exactly as you did last week.

In addition to improving your skills of giving brief prompts, Mess Upusing VIPs from group members will help improve the skills of building aVIP. Any flaw in the VIP will become evident as you play Mess Up. If a stepis not clear or if it is too big, the group will know. If a step is left out, it willhit you in the face.

4) Mess Up allows you to “pre-teach” a lesson. This is particularly valuablefor new teachers and for experienced teachers with new curriculum sinceit provides some of the experience that normally only comes from trialand error in the classroom. In addition, Mess Up serves as an excellentstimulus for discussions about broader aspects of the craft of teaching.

5) Study Group members can take turns teaching their lessons to the groupbefore playing Mess Up.

50

Partner TeachingObjectives

• Mastering an easy to use Say, See, Do format

• Making more of our lessons interactive and social

Materials and Preparation• A lesson plan in VIP format

• Materials and equipment required by the lesson

Participants• a Study Group member to be the classroom teacher who presents a lesson

using Say, See, Do Teaching accompanied by a VIP

• all other Study Group members organized in partner pairs who will taketurns playing the roles of teacher and student

Practice ExercisesPartner Teaching is a simple and efficient way of making learning interactive

(see page 94). In the classroom, the teacher divides students into partner pairsthat work well together. One of the partners “goes first” by playing the role of theteacher while the other partner plays the role of the student. Then, the partnersswitch roles so that every student in the class has the experience of teaching thelesson.

One of the Study Group members (the classroom teacher) will present a lessonto the group using a Say, See, Do Teaching format along with a VIP. After the

51


AAddendum Cddendum C

classroom teacher present each step of the lesson, he or she will then say, “teachyour partner.” The student who “goes first” (the teacher) then turns to his or herpartner (the student) and repeats the classroom teacher’s instruction.

Then, the classroom teacher says, “teach the other direction,” and the secondmember of each partner pair becomes the teacher. Thus, during each “Say, See,Do Cycle,” each student is taught the step twice and teaches the step once.

This format can be used for the humanities as easily as for mathematics. Whilestudents repeat the teacher’s input nearly verbatim in mathematics, in thehumanities students typically paraphrase, brainstorm or share experiences dur-ing each step.

52

53

Breathing PracticeObjectives

• Learning to relax

• Becoming aware of the cues for tension and relaxation that we receivefrom our bodies

Materials and Preparation• Review the “fight-flight reflex” and “downshifting” in Chapter 14 of Tools

for Teaching.

• If you have the Video Toolbox, watch Dr. Jones lead a group throughBreathing Practice in Session 7, Calm Is Strength as well as on Segment D(Breathing Practice) of the Coaching Disc.

Participants• Coach

• Study Group Members

Practice ExercisesThe practice exercises described below contain not only prompts that guide

performance, but also the brief “asides” that normally occur as Dr. Jones leadsthese exercises in his workshops. Consequently, the descriptions of the breathingexercises contained in this addendum are more complete than the demonstra-tion presented on the Coaching Disc of the Video Toolbox. Use the Coaching Discto get the feel for the exercise, and then enrich your own presentation with Dr.Jones’ “asides.”


AAddendum Dddendum D

Tension/Relaxation“Relaxation is a skill. It is acquired like any other skill – withpractice, practice, practice. The practice exercises that we willdo together build the skill of relaxation one step at a time.

“First, let’s do a tension/relaxation exercise to get the feel ofwhole-body relaxation. First, we will tense as hard as we canand hold it for 30 seconds. Then, we will relax. You can feelyour body “coming down.”

• “Push your chairs back from your tables and turn toward me so that yourknees point directly at me. Put your feet flat on the floor and relax yourhands in your lap. Relax your entire body.”

• “When I say, ‘Go,’ clench your fists, press your fists against your shoulders,press your chest against your thighs and lift your toes as far as you can offthe floor. Flex every muscle in your body as hard as you can until I say,‘Stop.’”

• “Ready – Go!” (hold this for 30 seconds).

• “Stop! Sit up, and relax. Put your feet flat on the floor, relax your handsand breath slowly.”

“Feel your body ‘come down’ – your breathing, your heart rate,your muscle tension. Keep relaxing as you breath slowly.

“We will attempt to learn a whole-body ‘let down response’ thatreduces tension, heart rate and breathing rate that we canemploy at will whenever we feel stressed. Managing stress effec-tively is one of life’s basic survival skills.”

Slowing the Cadence“Now, we will learn to do a ‘relaxing breath.’ It is slow and easy.Watch as I model it for you.”

Note: Direct the cadence of each relaxing breath with a gentlesweep of the arm the way a band leader might. The slow sweepof your arm creates a visual prompt for the breathing cadence.Do this with each breathing exercise.

• “First, relax to begin the cadence.”

• “Now, let the air come in.” (“A thousand one, a thousand two.”)

• “Now, relax.” (“A thousand three, a thousand four.”)

54

• “Now, wait.” (“A thousand five, a thousand six.”)

“As you can see, it is unhurried. We breath this way when weare completely relaxed, perhaps even ‘dozing off.’ Do it withme a few times so that you can get the cadence into your mus-cle memory.”


• “Now, breath in gently.” (“A thousand one, a thousand two.”)

• “Stop.”

“I want you to raise your hand if you took a ‘deep breath’ – ifyou filled your lungs.

“You have a lot of company. At least half of any group does this.

“Now, as we take our next relaxing breath, I want you to focuson keeping the breath small. This is not a deep breathing exer-cise. Rather, it is a shallow breathing exercise – slow and shal-low the way you breathe when you are asleep.”


• “Now, breathe in gently.” (“A thousand one, a thousand two.”)


• “Now, wait.” (“A thousand five, a thousand six.”)

Note: Direct the group through a half-dozen relaxing breathsin order to put the cadence into muscle memory.

Visualizing Calm“Now, let’s add an element of visualization to our breathingexercise in order to help us slow down and relax. Imagine thatyou are sitting in a chair watching the late news after a long dayin the classroom. You could have gone to bed a half-hour ago,but you wanted to hear about the big late-breaking news storywhich, of course, comes at the very end of the news broadcast.You feel tired as you watch the local news. The room is warm.You are getting sleepy. You have trouble keeping your eyesopen.

“At this moment, you are breathing exactly as I want you to. A‘relaxing breath’ is the way you breath when you are ‘dozingoff.’ Imagine dozing off as we continue practicing – with one

55

footnote. You must keep your eyes open. (Several participantshave typically been breathing with eyes closed as they ‘zoneout.’) No matter how relaxed you become, you cannot managea classroom with your eyes closed.”

• “Once again, place your feet on the floor, relax your hands and your bodyas you exhale to begin the cadence.”


Note: Do another half-dozen relaxing breaths with the groupto build muscle memory.

Relaxing the Jaw“You are getting a feel for the slowness of a relaxing breath.Next, we will focus on your jaw. Your jaw muscle is a repositoryof nervous energy. When we get upset, we ‘set our jaws’ or‘clench our teeth.’

“Unfortunately, the students can see this body language fromthe other side of the gymnasium. In order to fully relax andappear relaxed to the students, we must learn to relax our jawsso that we may have a relaxed facial expression.

“First, stretch your jaw muscle by opening your mouth as wideas you can, and keep stretching. Don’t do this in front of thechildren.

“Now, relax your jaw and relax your face. When your face isrelaxed, you have no facial expression. Consequently, themeaning of your facial expression comes entirely from the con-text. If you were reading a book, a relaxed face would have verylittle significance. However, if you were a major league baseballumpire in the middle of a ‘row’ with a manager, that sameexpression would communicate volumes.

• ‘There is not a chance in this world that I will change my call.’

• ‘I am not listening to a word you are saying.’

• ‘You are wasting everyone’s time.’

“It is important that you be able to monitor your facial expres-sion to make sure that it is relaxed when you want it to berelaxed. Then, you can check yourself in the middle of a class-

56

room ‘row’ such as backtalk. Since you won’t have a mirrorhandy, I will give you a method for checking your jaw that isinvisible.

“First, place the tip of your tongue at the base of your upperfront teeth. Then, run your tongue back along the roof of yourmouth until you get to the beginning of soft palate. This push-es your jaw down slightly which keeps you from ‘setting’ yourjaw.

“Play with it a little because, of course, you can overdo it.(Model a comically exaggerated facial expression with lipstogether and jaw thrust down.) Do it several times. With prac-tice you will begin to feel when your jaw is down so that youhave no facial expression. Eventually you can just touch thatspot with your tongue, and finally you will be able to feel yourface well enough to monitor it without doing anything.

“I will prompt you to check your jaw with the words, ‘Checkyour jaw.’ We will check our jaws at the end of each relaxingbreath. Let’s add that step to our breathing as we practice.”




• “Check your jaw.” (“A thousand five, a thousand six.”)

Note: Do another half-dozen relaxing breaths with the group.Remind the group members that all of this repetition is simplyto build muscle memory.

If you still have some time in your Study Group meeting, breakinto partner pairs and have some fun. Have one partner prac-tice relaxed breathing while the other partner plays the role ofa student who is making an excuse for not having an assign-ment in on time. Have the first partner breathe calmly, relaxhis or her face and think, “This too shall pass.”

57

58

The TurnObjectives

We will learn to:

• integrate relaxation with turning toward the disruptive student so thatboth become a single, automatic response.

• become aware of the “fine points” of the turn which signal our intentionsto the disruptive student(s).

Materials and Preparation• Preview consistency in the classroom in Chapter 15 and the body lan-

guage of “meaning business” in Chapter 16 of Tools for Teaching.

• If you have the Video Toolbox, watch Dr. Jones lead a group through “TheTurn” on Segment E of the Coaching Disc.



Practice ExercisesAs with “Breathing Practice,” the practice exercises described below contain

not only prompts that guide the performance of participants, but also the brief“asides” that Dr. Jones’ would give during a workshop. As always, the practiceexercises progress from simple to complex as component skills are first built andthen integrated into a whole.


AAddendum Eddendum E

59

As a warm-up activity, do some “Breathing Practice” with the group for review.A good relaxing breath is contained in every aspect of The Turn. Then model a3-second turn and a 6-second turn so that the group can appreciate the differ-ence.

The Beginning: To The Transition“By the time you have turned toward the disruptive students,you are either relaxed or you are headed for your brainstem.As the students look at you, they will know exactly what is hap-pening. The turn is rich with body language that signalswhether or not you mean business. We will slow down theaction so that we can master the details one step at a time.

“As we practice, I will call out each prompt at the proper timeso that you do not have to worry about getting it right. First,watch me as I model the first part of the turn and give you theprompts. Then, you will do it.

“Imagine that when you look up, you see a typical disruptionsuch as ‘talking to neighbors.’ This is the moment of truth. Youwill probably want to keep teaching because the disruption is‘no big deal.’ However, if you fail to commit, you have just sig-nalled to everyone in the class that discipline management ison the ‘back burner.’ (See Tools for Teaching pages 187-191.)

“We will begin by having you stand behind the chair you arepresently sitting in. Imagine that you are helping a studentnamed ‘Robert.’ You have turned or ‘buttonhooked’ so thatyou can see as much of the class as possible thereby minimiz-ing ‘blind spots.’

“This first time through, we will go as far as excusing yourselffrom Robert and staying down as we take a relaxing breath.Stay down until I release you with the prompt, ‘Now.’ (Modelthe turn through the prompt that begins, ‘Stay down...’)”

Note: Prompts to the group will be bullets. Asides to the groupwill be indented.

• “You are helping little Robert, and you have “buttonhooked” so that theclass is in front of you.”

• “You catch some “fooling around” out of the corner of your eye, and youcheck it out. Eyes up to the target.” (Hold your hand up at the level ofyour head to serve as a target. If members of the group are slow in look-ing up, practice again emphasizing that timing is important.)

60

• “As soon as you see the disruption, you commit.”

• “Put your weight down, and excuse yourself from Robert.” (Have thetrainees whisper, “Excuse me Robert.”)

• “Stay down (a thousand one), breathe in gently (a thousand two), andclear your mind (a thousand three).”

• “Now.” (Stop.)

“How many of you felt that you stayed down an extremely longtime before the prompt, ‘Now.’ (Trainees almost always reportthat it seemed ‘like forever.’) Our natural tendency is to go toofast. When we are helping a student, our mind is racing. Then,when we see a student fooling around, it triggers a fight-flightreflex which speeds us up even more.

“Without a clear transition both mentally and physically fromfast to slow, from instruction to discipline, we will turn too fast.We will make at 3-second turn rather than a 6-second turn.

“As you could see from my demonstration earlier, a 3-secondturn is not particularly convincing. As a result, rather thanlooking the student back to work, you will probably have towalk over there to get results. That is expensive.

“Let’s do it again just to get the feel of slowing down as soon asyou see the disruption. Stay down after you excuse yourselffrom Robert, breathe in gently and give yourself time to switchgears both mentally and emotionally.” (Repeat the previouspractice exercise.)

The Basic Pattern“This time we will take the turn a little further. After we havemade our transition from instruction to discipline, we willstand slowly and turn slowly. Watch as I model it for you andgive the prompts.”

• “You are helping little Robert, and you have “buttonhooked” so that theclass is in front of you.”

• “You catch some “fooling around” out of the corner of your eye, and youcheck it out. Eyes up to the target.” (Hold your hand up at the level ofyour head to serve as a target.)

• “As soon as you see the disruption, you commit.”

61

• “Put your weight down, and excuse yourself from Robert.”

• “Stay down (a thousand one), breathe in gently (a thousand two), andclear your mind (a thousand three).”

• “Now, stand slowly and turn slowly toward me. Square up.”

• “Relax (exhale) and check your jaw.”

• “Take two relaxing breaths.”

• “Stop.”

“You can see why we check our jaw at the end. A lot of decisionshave taken place in a very short time.

“Always take two relaxing breathes after you turn. Wait to seewhat happens next. Either the students will get back to work,or they will not. You will know soon enough. In the meantime,lower your blood pressure. You are not ‘staring them down.’You are just waiting. You are in the passive mode.”

Fine Point #1: “Turn in a Regal Fashion.”Model a 3-second turn and a 6-second turn. Ask the group,“Which turn most resembles Queen Victoria?”

Emphasize turning from the top down in four parts – head,shoulders, waist, feet. Have the trainees think, “We are notamused” as they look at the students, turn, and take their relax-ing breaths. (See Tools for Teaching pages 199-204.)

Repeat “The Turn” adding the prompt, “Turn in a regal fash-ion.”

Fine Point #2: “Point Your Toes.”Model a partial turn and a complete turn so that the traineescan see the difference (Tools for Teaching page 202). A partialturn is a classic example of a mixed message which signalsambivalence about terminating instruction in order to committime and energy to the discipline problem. Discuss ambiva-lence, mixed messages, and signal clarity in relation to TheTurn (Tools for Teaching pages 194-196).

62

This might also be a good time to briefly discuss how body lan-guage “telegraphs” our intentions. Body language reveals whatwe plan to do next. See Tools for Teaching page 194.

Repeat The Turn adding the prompt, “Point your toes.”

Fine Point #3: “Get a Focal Point.”Model a 6-second turn with eyes periodically glancing aroundthe room as though monitoring the group, and then modelthe turn with constant eye contact with the disruptive student.Ask the group, “Have you ever talked to someone who wouldnot look you in the eye? Are they confident? Are they com-fortable?

Repeat The Turn adding the prompt, “Get a focal point.”

Fine Point #4: “Hands Down.”Discuss briefly the fact that, when we are upset, our hand ges-tures are “up” (usually waist high), and when we are relaxed,our arms and hands are down. We will want to signal that weare both relaxed and comfortable by having “hands down.”

Discuss and model some alternatives with the group (hands inpockets, hands at your sides, etc.). The main advantage to plac-ing your hands together behind your back is that it hides anynervous gestures with the hands when you are first learning torelax. (See Tools for Teaching page 203.)

Repeat The Turn adding the prompt, “Hands down.”

Fine Point #5: “Check Your Jaw.”“We will add one final fine point, ‘Check your jaw.’ You arealready very familiar with this fine point. This is a feature ofThe Turn that you learned during Breathing Practice. Let’stake a moment, however, to look at it again before we practiceit.”

Note: Discuss “smiley face” and “trigger mechanisms” (SeeTools for Teaching pages 203-204.) In a nutshell, we are biologi-cally programmed to respond with a pleasant look (known as“greeting behavior”) when a child smiles at us. Children, notsurprisingly, learn at an early age to smile at us when we catchthem doing something wrong in order to get “off the hook.”We call it “smiley face.”

Consequently, relaxing your jaw does not occur in a vacuum. Itoccurs in a situation in which you are looking at “smiley face.”To master the Queen Victoria look, we will have to practice itin a variety of circumstances.

This last fine point leads into Smile Practice (Addendum F). InSmile Practice the trainees will practice relaxing their jaws andmaintaining the Queen Victoria look “under pressure.”

Take the group through “The Turn” one more time with all ofthe critical features.

63

64

Smile PracticeObjectives

We will practice

• relaxation in the face of mild provocation.

• relaxation in the face of backtalk.

Participants• A group of teachers of any size divided into partner pairs

• The Study Group leader serving as coach

Roles• Teacher

• Student

• The Study Group leader serving as coach

Game Structure“The only way to learn to relax under pressure is to practicerelaxing under pressure. Let me describe the practice exercises.

“In each partner pair, one person plays the role of teacher whilethe other person plays the role of student. Then, partners switchroles so that everyone gets to play the role of teacher.

“The objective of Smile Practice is to give the teacher a chance topractice relaxing under pressure. The game is played in three


AAddendum Fddendum F

65

parts representing three levels of “pressure” or provocation onthe part of the student. The three levels are as follows:”

1) The student trying to make the teacher laugh from a seated position.

2) The student trying to make the teacher laugh from a standing position.

3) The student giving the teacher backtalk (from a standing position).

Role DescriptionsStudents

“The game begins on a light-hearted note with the teacherstanding and facing the student who is seated. On a signal fromme, students can do anything they want in order to make theteachers laugh.

“Fist of all, students, this is no time to be proud. Your job is tomake your partner laugh even if you have to act like an idiot.In addition, your job is not just to make them laugh, but to‘crack’ them as often as you can. Make them work at relaxing andkeeping a ‘Queen Victoria’ face for the entire duration of theexercise.

“Consequently, you must keep coming up with new material inorder to ‘crack’ your partner. If you run out of material, lookaround to see what other people are doing. But, keep working!I do not want to look up and see people breaking out of roleto chit-chat with their partners.”

Teachers“Teachers, your job is to relax your body, relax your breathing,and look at your partner with your best ‘Queen Victoria’ face.When you are thoroughly relaxed, you will look bored to deathby the foolishness in front of you.

“However, relaxation is a skill with several important compo-nents. As you are attempting to relax, do the following:”

1) Get a focal point: “Teachers, you must look at your partner, but do notactually look them in the eye. Eyes are the most expressive part of a per-son’s body, and we are built to respond to each other. However, you mustcreate the illusion of looking your partner in the eye.

66

“To create this illusion, get a focal point right between your partner’s eye-brows. Use anything that is handy such as a wisp of hair, the frame of theirglasses, or simply the skin that separates the eyebrows. You will appear tobe paying attention, but you will have created psychological distancebetween you and your partner so that you are less likely to react to them.

“Relaxation at this level is a game of concentration. When you have goodconcentration, your focal point is about the size of a quarter, and you donot really ‘see’ the other person. Everything outside of the focal point isslightly blurred. Should you lose concentration, however, the focal pointwill rapidly expand so that you see the other person complete with ges-tures and facial expressions. If you crack, it will be when you lose con-centration. As an alternative strategy, you can throw the other person outof focus by slightly crossing your eyes.”

2) Leave the scene of the crime: “If you do not occupy your mind with somecalming thought when playing the role of teacher, your thoughts will beoccupied by the outrageous behavior of your partner, and you will tendto react. When you play the role of teacher, imagine a scene that is innate-ly calming.

“Let’s talk a moment to find a scene that is calming (pause). You will, ineffect, be daydreaming. With practice this becomes a calming mindsetwhich translates emotionally into, “This too shall pass.”

3) If you lose it: “If you begin to crack-up, go ahead and laugh. You won’t befooling anybody by trying to ‘hold it together.’ Instead, after you laugh orsmile, close your eyes, breathe in gently, and then open your eyes as yourelax. If you lose it again, repeat the procedure until you habituate towhatever your partner is doing.

“I don’t care if you lose it twenty times as long as you work to regain yourcomposure twenty times. All I care about is that you keep working. Theonly way to learn to relax under pressure is to practice relaxing underpressure.”

The PlayMake Them Laugh from a Seated Position

• “Partners, turn toward each other knee to knee.”

• “Teachers, stand, push your chair under the table, and face your partner.”

• “Teachers, Get your focal point and relax.”

• “Students, ready...set...go!”

Note: Walk among the participants and encourage them.Coach the teachers to relax as needed, and urge the students onshould they slack off. Let it run for a couple of minutes until itstarts to wind down, and then say:

Make Them Laugh from a Standing Position• “Alright, teachers, relax.”

• “Now, students, you may stand in front of your partners. As before, yourobjective is to make your partner laugh. But, now you have more elbowroom. You can move about and do a dance if you want. But stay in frontof your partner.”

• “Teachers, if the student should move to the right or left, react as little aspossible. Follow them slowly with your eyes, and then, if they stay there,move your head slowly to look at them. This is the art of under-reacting.”

• “Teachers, face your partner, get your focal point and relax.”


Note: Once again, walk among the participants and encouragethem. Coach the teachers, and urge the students on as before.

Backtalk from a Standing Position• “Alright, teachers, relax.”

• “Now, students, the game changes. You are no longer trying to make yourpartner laugh. Instead, you will give them backtalk.”

“Anything that you have ever heard is fair game. Tell your part-ner that they are not being fair – that you weren’t doing any-thing – that they are picking on you. Tell them that their classis boring. Get personal. This is showtime!”

• “Teachers, we will add one new skill this time around. Whatever your part-ner says, let it go ‘in one ear and out the other.’”

“Backtalk is not what you would call a ‘significant communica-tion.’ Rather, think of it all as ‘baloney.’ It is just ‘blah, blah,blah.’ If you listen to what the student is saying, it may upsetyou. Instead, ‘zone out’ and think to yourself, ‘This is boring,boring, boring.’”

67

68


Note: Once again, walk among the participants and encouragethem. Coach the teachers, and urge the students on as before.After the teachers get good at relaxing with backtalk, say:

• “Alright students, let’s up the ante. Get in your partners face and shout!‘Quit looking at me!’ ‘Get out of my face!’ Let me hear you shout. Ready... go!”

Note: The first round usually ends in a tumultuous uproar withpeople laughing at colleagues who are “letting it all hang out.”Several minutes of loud and animated conversation typicallyensues.

FeedbackAsk the Students

After the group settles down, ask the students the following question:

“Students, how many of you felt at every level that, the longer itwent, the harder it was to keep it going? How many of youeventually felt foolish?”

It is a revelation for participants to realize how vulnerable students makethemselves by engaging in backtalk. If the student does not get the teacher offbalance right away, their position becomes increasingly untenable.

Ask the TeachersAsk the teachers the following question:

“Teachers, how many of you felt that, the longer you practiced,the easier it became to relax and get in the “zone” where noth-ing bothered you?”

It is a revelation for teachers to realize that they can deal with backtalk in arelaxed fashion without getting pulled into the student’s melodrama. SmilePractice, therefore, serves a dual function: 1) practicing relaxation under pres-sure, and 2) preparing the teachers to understand the nature of backtalk from thestudent’s perspective.

Switch RolesFor the second round of Smile Practice, have the participants reverse the roles

of teacher and student. The second round of Smile Practice is referred to as “SweetRevenge.”

It is important for you to stress that backtalk does not occur until students areinstructed to do so. Without this instruction, students will often begin SmilePractice with backtalk since they are so focused on that topic. Rather, each groupof teachers needs a chance to practice relaxation under the low threat of comedyand silliness from both a seated and a standing position before getting to back-talk.

After repeating all of the practice exercises, conduct feedback as before.Teachers often report that they experience backtalk quite differently after hav-ing played the student role. They report not feeling as threatened by backtalksince they now realize that the student is taking all the chances and is doing allof the work. As one teacher said, “As long as I don’t lose, I win. And, as long asthey don’t win, they lose.”

69

Moving In and Moving OutObjectives

We will learn to:

• read pseudo-compliance in the body language of students as we attemptto set limits.

• wait when setting limits at a student’s desk until we get a stable pattern ofwork.

• deal with backtalk from either one or two students including unexpectedevents such as “The Last Hurrah” and “The Cheap Shot.”

Materials and Preparation• Preview the body language of “Moving In and Moving Out” in Chapter 17

of Tools for Teaching as well as responses to backtalk in Chapter 18.

• If you have the Video Toolbox, watch Dr. Jones briefly model “Moving Inand Moving Out” on Segment G of the Coaching Disc.



Background“In order to be skillful in dealing with ‘goofing off’ in the class-room, we must become skillful at reading pseudo-compliance.Pseudo-compliance is well known to any parent – that half-

70


AAddendum Gddendum G

71

baked minimal compliance known as giving ‘half a loaf.’ Forexample, you ask your son to make his bed, and he pulls up thecovers and then looks at you as though to ask, ‘Is this enough?’

“Pseudo-compliance is one of childhood’s basic tools for get-ting out of work. And, it is one of childhoods basic tools forexpressing willfulness – of saying, ‘I don’t have to’ when a par-ent tells a child to stop fooling around. As soon as the parent’sback is turned, the child goes right back to doing what theywere not supposed to do.

“You will see a lot of pseudo-compliance in the classroom, espe-cially when setting limits. Students will seem to comply whenyou ask them to get back to work, but when you look up twominutes later, they are talking again. You must learn to readpseudo-compliance when setting limits on classroom disrup-tions so that you can follow through until you get real compli-ance.

“Body language reveals intentions – it telegraphs what a personplans to do next. You can read the students’ next move just asthey read yours. But you must first know where to look. Howcan you spot pseudo-compliance?

“In this session we will practice a discipline management situa-tion in which you have to walk over to the student’s desk inorder to get compliance (i.e. time-on-task versus talking toneighbors). We will refer to the entire sequence as ‘Moving Inand Moving Out.’

“The practice of Moving In and Moving Out will make us savvyin reading students’ pseudo-compliance. We will look atMoving In and Moving Out as if it were a body language pokergame. The game is played as a series of moves. With each movethe student must make a decision, either to fold (get back towork) or to raise (pseudo-compliance).

“If you cannot spot pseudo-compliance, you will fold (MoveOut) when you should be raising (Moving In). Let’s slow downMoving In and Moving Out in order to follow the moves.”

72

Model Moving In and Moving Out: No Backtalk“I will first model Moving In and Moving Out labeling eachstep as I go. Then we will get on our feet and do it together toget the feel of it.

“First, lets divide our group in half. One half will play the roleof teacher while the other half plays the role of student. Then,after we practice, we will switch roles.

“I will prompt both teachers and students so that you will bothknow what to do as the scene unfolds. I will precede teacherprompts with the word ‘teacher,’ and I will precede studentprompts with the word ‘student.’

“Students, I do not want you to ‘ad lib’ during these scenes. Youare not really role playing. Rather, you are simply there to helpthe teachers practice. We are walking through generic scenesjust to get a feel for sequence and timing. If you ad lib, noneof my prompts will fit the situation.”

• “Teachers, you are helping little Robert, and you have buttonhooked so theclass is in front of you. You catch some fooling around out of the cornerof your eye.”

• “Students, look at each other as though you are talking. But, do not talk inorder to be able to hear the prompts.”

• “Teachers, check out the disruption. Eyes up to my target.”

“You see the disruption, and you commit. Lean over, excuseyourself from Robert and stay down. Breathe in slowly andrelax. Then, stand slowly and turn in a regal fashion.”

• “Teachers, the students have not looked up. Take two relaxing breaths.Then, say the students’ names.”

• “Students, look up and give the teacher ‘smiley face.’”

• “Students, return to work, but keep your lower bodies pointed toward eachother.”

“Teachers, you will usually get ‘smiley face.’ Do not be surprisedif the students return to work leaving the orientation of theirlower bodies unchanged. The name of this version of pseudo-compliance is ‘pseudo-scholarship.’ (See Tools for Teaching,page 208-209.)

“As you look at them and take two relaxing breaths, you mustbe able to read their body language in order to know whetheror not they are really getting back to work? How can you tellthe difference between a commitment to work and ‘pseudo-scholarship?’

“If you want to know what the student’s intend to do next, lookbeneath the desk at their knees and feet. If the students arefacing forward, they are probably focused on doing their work.But, if their lower bodies are still pointed toward each other,chances are that you have accomplished nothing.” (See Toolsfor Teaching, pages 208-210.)

“When you commit to dealing with the problem and turntoward the students, you raise the stakes in the body languagepoker game. When the students gave you pseudo-compliance,they raised you right back.They said, in effect, ‘What are yougoing to do about it?’ You will have to walk over to the studentsin order to deal with their pseudo-compliance.

“Beware of the tendency to open your mouth and nag in anattempt to save yourself the inconvenience of walking over tothe students. It is time to ‘move the body, not the mouth.’”(See Tools for Teaching, page 211.)

• “Teachers, pick the student that is the biggest trouble-maker, and walk overto the edge of his or her desk. Stand there as you take two relaxingbreaths.”

• “Students, turn half-way forward and return to work. You give the teacher‘half a loaf’

“Walking over to the students is your next raise in the body lan-guage poker game. Often, they will start turning around toface forward before you have taken three steps toward them.They were wondering if dealing with this situation was worthyour time, and you just answered their question. You said, ‘Yes’by walking. By facing forward, they said, ‘That’s all I wanted toknow. I’m getting back to work.

“Pseudo-compliance as you stand at the students’ desks willusually take the form of a partial turn forward. They are saying,in effect, ‘I will give you part of what you want to see if you’lltake it.”

73

• “Teachers, put one palm on the student’s desk, and use the other hand tomotion to the student to turn all of the way forward.”

“Using a visual prompt reduces the chances of backtalk sincespeech is a trigger mechanism. Unless the student is a high-roller, he or she will probably fold at this point. Up until nowthe student could play poker by appearing not to know whatyou wanted. Now they must defy you in order to raise you – abig threshold to step over.”

• “Students, come half-way around again.”

“If the student wants to play one more round of poker withoutgetting into high stakes, they might give you another partialturn – most of the way around but not all of the way around.”

• “Teachers, give the students a verbal prompt to turn forward.” (‘Bring yourchair all of the way around.’)

• “Students, come all of the way around and get to work.”

• “Teachers, put both palms on the student’s desk, and watch them work.Stay until you get a stable pattern of work.”

“If the student is still testing to see whether or not they reallyhave to do what you want, you will often get ‘eyes up – eyesdown.’ The student simply glances up quickly to see if you arestill there.

“When this happens, it tells you to simply ‘hang in there.’ Justkill time until the student stops testing and really starts work-ing.”

• “Students, eyes up – eyes down.”

• “Teachers, after you have a stable pattern of work, thank the student.Touching is optional. Stay down.”

“Thank the student warmly to show approval and as a ‘closuremessage.’ Your mood goes from neutral to warm and then backto neutral. Thanking the student says, in effect, ‘That is what Iwanted.’

“Sometimes students misunderstand closure messages becausethey are not accustomed to common curtesy. They lay theirpencils down because they think it is all over. When you staydown after thanking the student, you tell them that you expectthem to keep working.”

74

• “Teachers, move to the other student who is disrupting, and give him orher equal time. After watching the work, thank the student and stay downas you did with the first student.”

• “Students, continue working.”

• “Teachers, stand slowly, and take two relaxing breaths.”

“You are moving out now, but you will move out by degreesrather than all at once.”

• “Teachers, turn and walk away. But, before you engage another student,turn to face the student you just left. Point your toes.”

“Never make a partial turn. If the disruptive students look up,they will see someone quite willing to return.”

• “Teachers, as you begin to help the next student, buttonhook so that thedisruptive students are in your direct line of vision. Consequently, there isno clear end to the interaction.”

“That is as far as we will take this first walk-through. I will usethese same prompts as I walk you through this vignette.

“You do not have to worry about remembering the prompts.Just listen and do what the prompt tells you to do. I will giveyou correct timing and sequence so that you will get correctmuscle memory.”

Practice Moving In and Moving Out: No BacktalkNote: Walk the trainees through the scene described above,and then have them switch roles so that everyone plays the partof both teacher and student.

“Students, sit next to each other in pairs as if you were two stu-dents engaged in ‘talking to neighbors.’ Look at each other asthough you were talking, but do not actually talk so that youcan hear the prompts. When the teacher says your name, lookup and give them smiley face.

“Teachers, bring your chair away from the students to give your-self a little space in which to walk. Pretend that you are help-ing ‘little Robert,’ and we will begin with ‘The Turn.’

“Here we go. You are helping little Robert, and you catch somefooling around out of the corner of your eye...”

75

Model Moving In and Moving Out: With Backtalk“This time we are going to add ‘whiney backtalk.’ Let’s juststart at the edge of the desk as though you had already walkedover.

“We will take it as far as ‘camping out in front.’ You will godown on one elbow and get very close to the student. This is asclose as you ever get. We will do it just so that you can get a feelfor maximum proximity.

“Of course, this is not to say that you should get that close. Iwould certainly not recommend it if you work at Juvenile Hall.Any kid with a history of child abuse would freak out.

“Rather, this is just for practice sake so that you will know what‘camping out in front’ feels like. Let me model it for you.”

• “Teachers, you are standing at the edge of the student’s desk, and you taketwo relaxing breaths.”

• “Students, turn half-way forward and return to work. You will give theteacher ‘half a loaf’”



• “Teachers, give the students a verbal prompt to turn forward.” (‘Bring yourchair all of the way around.’)

• “Students, give the teacher ‘whiney backtalk.’”

• “Teachers, move down slowly to ‘camping out in front.’”

• “Students, keep giving backtalk.”

• “Teachers, stay down and relax. Let the backtalk go in one ear and out theother.”

• “Students, let the backtalk die down.”

• “Teachers, stay down and take two relaxing breaths.”

• “Students, return to work.”

• “Teachers, watch them work until you have a stable pattern.”

• “Students, keep working.”

76

77

• “Teachers, thank the student, touching is optional, and stay down.”

• “Teachers, switch with the teacher next to you and give the ‘second student’equal time.”

“You have to give both disruptive students equal time. If not,the first one feels ‘picked on,’ and the second one feels asthough they got away with it – that is, that you didn’t reallyknow what was going on.

“We will do whiney backtalk with the second student just forthe practice. Once again, let it go in one ear and out the other.Then, we will move out as we did on the previous walk-through.”

Practice Moving In and Moving Out:With BacktalkNote: Walk the trainees through this scene including MovingOut. Then have them switch roles so that everyone plays thepart of both teacher and student.

Model the “Last Hurrah”“Teachers, I am now going to throw you a ‘curve ball.’ When youthank the student, you will get a ‘snotty’ reply – usually a one-liner like:

‘Yeah, right,’ or

‘You didn’t help me any,’ or

‘Just leave me alone,’ or

‘Whatever.’

“The student is obviously trying to have the last word and ‘getyour goat.’ We will call this ‘snotty’ reply the ‘Last Hurrah.’

“Rather than reacting to it in some special way, let it go in oneear and out the other. If students folded with backtalk once,they will fold again.

“Just hang in there and watch the student work. Stay a littlelonger than you normally would. You are teaching the studentsthat such remarks are useless in your class.

“Our immediate objective is to stay in our cortex rather thandownshifting to the brainstem. If you feel that some addition-al consequence is necessary, do it later.

“For now, relax, and wait until you get a stable pattern of work.Then, thank the student and stay down for two more relaxingbreaths. Finally, we will move out as we did before.

“Let’s play the scene as follows. We will begin with promptingthe student to turn around. Watch me as I model it for you.”

• “Teachers, you are standing at the edge of the students desk, and you taketwo relaxing breaths.”

• “Students, turn half-way forward and return to work. You will give theteacher ‘half a loaf’”



• “Teachers, give the students a verbal prompt to turn forward.” (“Bring yourchair all of the way around.”)

• “Students, give the teacher ‘whiney backtalk.’”

• “Teachers, move down slowly to ‘camping out in front.’”

• “Students, keep giving backtalk.”

• “Teachers, stay down and relax. Let the backtalk go in one ear and out theother.”

• “Students, let the backtalk die down.”

• “Teachers, stay down and take two relaxing breaths.”


• “Teachers, watch them work until you have a stable pattern.”



• “Students, give a ‘Last Hurrah.’”

• “Teachers, let it go in one ear and out the other. Stay down and relax.”


• “Teachers, watch the students work until you get a stable pattern of work.”

78


• “Teachers, thank the student again, touching is optional, and stay down.”

“Trainees sometimes think it is strange to thank a student whohas just ‘mouthed off.’ But, there is a good reason for doing soaside from common courtesy. Thanking the student carries animplied message. It says, “And we will do it my way, won’t we.’”

• “Teachers, switch with the teacher next to you and repeat the wholesequence with the second student.”

Practice the “Last Hurrah”Note: After walking through the sequence, have the teachersswitch students as in the previous exercise in order to give thesecond student equal time. Have the second student also do a“Last Hurrah” for added practice.

“After the teachers receive a ‘Last Hurrah’ from each of the twostudents, have the teachers move out as before. Then, have theteachers and students switch roles, and repeat the practice exer-cise.”

Model the “Cheap Shot”“On this next practice exercise we will add a ‘cheap shot’ asyou walk away. It is usually a word or two muttered under thebreath, such as:

‘Big deal,’ or

‘Ooooh,’ or

‘I’m scared.’

“If you are trying to figure out what to do as classmates giggle,you will probably overreact. We need a plan.

“Naturally, you cannot allow the student to have a mocking‘last word.’ On the other hand, it would be nice to keep yourresponse cheap.

“Rather than doing anything dramatic, simply relax, turn slow-ly, come back to the students’ desks and hang out for a while.Then thank the students as before and move out again. We willcall this whole routine, ‘Instant Replay.’

79

“Rather than being a ‘technique,’ this is simply reteaching. Youmuch teach the students that cheap shots are not cheap. Hadthe student who gave the cheap shot kept his or her mouthshut, you would be gone. Instead, the students will get a dou-ble dose of you from close range. You can run the price ofpoker up by simply hanging out longer.

“We will start this scene with you thanking the second studentand moving out. Here are the prompts.”



• “Teachers, stand slowly and take two relaxing breaths.”


• “Teachers, turn slowly to walk away.”

• “Students, after the teacher has take two steps, give a cheap shot.”

• “Teachers, relax, turn slowly, and take another relaxing breath.”

• “Teachers, walk slowly back to the edge of the desk, stand between the stu-dents and take two relaxing breaths. Then, go slowly to palms and hangout for a while.”


“Imagine that the students are trying to pretend that they areinnocent. One of them probably is, but you may not knowwhich one. Just hang out and kill some time.”

• “Teachers, wait until you get a stable pattern of work. Then, thank the stu-dents and stay down.”

“If you do not know which student gave you the cheap shot, donot single out either of the students. They know that you donot know which one ‘wised off.’ Finesse the situation by usinga collective pronoun when thanking the students (‘I appreci-ate your getting back to work.’)”


• “Teachers, stand slowly and take two relaxing breaths. Then, turn to walkaway.”

“This time you will probably make it without a cheap shot. Youhave taught the students that cheap shots are not cheap with-

80

out allowing yourself to be pulled into an adversarial situation.You cannot afford to turn a deaf ear to ‘goofing off’ anymorethan you can afford to turn a blind eye to it. But, finesse keepsthe cost low for you as well as for the students.”

• “Teachers, before you engage another student, turn to face the studentsyou just left. Point your toes.”

“Never make a partial turn. If the disruptive students look up,they will see someone quite willing to return.”

• “Teachers, as you begin to help the next student, buttonhook so that thedisruptive students are in your direct line of vision. Consequently, there isno clear end to the interaction.”

Practice the “Cheap Shot”Note: Have the teachers walk through the scene as you promptthem. Then, have the teachers and students switch roles, andrepeat the practice exercise.

“We cannot practice all of the curve balls and weird situationsthat you will encounter during a career. But, we can block outa strategy for a few of the more predictable dilemmas. We willtrouble shoot the rest as they occur by playing a simulationgame entitled ‘Goof Off.’”

81

82

Goof OffObjectives

• The practice of Limit Setting

• Developing strategies for difficult to manage situations



Roles• Teacher

• Disruptive students

• Coach

• Observers (optional)

The PlayStudy Group members will volunteer to play the roles of 1) two students who

are disrupting or “goofing off” and 2) the teacher. It is paramount that the teacherwho is learning to “mean business” be made to feel safe and supported by thegroup during this exercise rather than “on the spot.” Safety will be produced bythe coach carefully adhering to the process described below.

Set The SceneThe coach will describe the upcoming scene so that colleagues playing the role

of disruptive students will know exactly how and when to disrupt and when to quit.


AAddendum Hddendum H

83

Setting the scene structures the performance of the disruptive students in order toprevent them from becoming outrageous. It also protects the teacher from beingsurprised. For example, the coach might say:

“In this scene the two disruptors will be ‘talkingto neighbors.’ Let’s take ‘moving in’ as far as‘palms’ with the usual pseudo-compliance.Then, give the teacher ‘whiney’ backtalk.

“Go to ‘camping out in front’ just to see what itfeels like. I’ll stop you when the backtalk seemsto be running out of gas.”

ModelThe coach will model for the teacher exactly what to do as they walk everyone

through the scene. The coach can either take part of the limit setting sequenceexactly from Tools for Teaching (Chapters 16 and 17), or they can construct ascene using suggestions from group members.

As the coach models, the person playing the roll of teacher walks with the coach.Thus, the modeling provides a dry run for the teacher so that the routine will havebeen rehearsed immediately prior to performance.

PromptDuring the second walk-through of the scene, the teacher and coach switch

roles. As the teacher deals with the students’ misbehavior, the coach watches close-ly. Through quick and precise prompting the coach can correct errors as theyoccur so that they “build it right the first time.”

Prompts take the form of “stage directions” – one-liners that direct the teacher’sactions. There is no reference to error, and there is no discussion. The coach’sobjective is to create correct “muscle memory” without being intrusive.

The teacher must make the management decisions, however. The coach mustwait for the teacher to commit to a course of action before intervening. To talk theteacher through the performance sequence takes decision making out of theteacher’s hands and reduces Guided Practice to Structured Practice.

FeedbackDuring the feedback portion of the practice sequence, the group will use the

process of corrective feedback described below in order to guarantee safety. Thefeedback process has four distinct steps:

a. Praise: The first job of the coach is to describe the strengths of the teacher’sperformance.

b. Ask the teacher how he or she experienced the walk-through: We willalways want the teacher to be the first person in the group to comment.Typically the teacher will experience satisfaction with his or her perform-ance due to adequate modeling and prompting by the coach. If the teacheris aware of some deficit in performance, it is better that he or she describeit to the group than visa versa. Usually, the teacher will also describe whatthey plan to do differently the next time through due to insight theygained from the role playing.

c. Ask the disruptive students how they experienced the scene: The realexperts in role playing are the disruptive students. The teacher may havefeelings about the performance as may the coach , but the final readoutwill have to be supplied by those who were the recipients of the limit-set-ting. If they say it was good, it was good. And, if they say something has tobe changed, this feedback will provide much of the structure for the nextpractice cycle.

The coach is, in effect, structuring a dialogue between the teacher and hisor her colleagues about how best to deal with this particular situation. Inalmost all cases the net result of peer feedback is both problem solvingand confidence building.

d. Feedback from observers and group members other than those directlyinvolved in skill practice: Sometimes there are members of the groupwho, not having a specific role to play, just observe. These observers oftennotice aspects of performance that were not seen by those directly par-ticipating. Their comments can be highly enriching.

SummaryIf the process of “Goof Off” is carefully adhered to by the coaches, everyone in

the Study Group soon picks up the rules of the game so that the reliance on thecoach diminishes. Soon the exchange becomes spontaneous.

Eventually the group may decide to go “free form” – to practice Limit-Settingwith scenes in which the disruptive students devise a management scenario with-out the teacher knowing what it is. Such free form practice can be lively and fun,but it presumes a high level of mastery by all involved so that protecting theteacher is of secondary importance.

84

85

Group Problem Solving ProcessThe Problem Solving Dilemma

Help Must Be QuickWhen teachers experience problems in using a management technique, they

must get help quickly, or the technique will be abandoned. At this point theStudy Group can be a wonderful resource if they have some basic problem solv-ing skills.

Advice Doesn’t HelpThe natural tendency of most professionals when attempting to help a col-

league is to give advice. But advice doesn’t help because it places the helper intothe “expert” role and the helpee into the “dummy” role. The predictable result isdefensiveness on the part of the teacher seeking help. Soon Study Group mem-bers learn not to bring their problems to the group. The Group Problem SolvingProcess is designed to make problem solving both safe and productive so thatgroup members will seek help from colleagues as soon as a problem becomesapparent.

The Group Problem Solving ProcessThe moderator (that week’s Study Group leader) will follow the process

described in the following sections to help the Study Group utilize both theknowledge of the teacher presenting the problem and the expertise of the groupmembers. The presenting teacher knows the student and the problem better thananyone else in the group. Consequently, the teacher with the problem is the realexpert in the group. The moderator will systematically exploit that knowledge. Inso doing, the moderator will put the teacher presenting the problem at ease so thathe or she feels affirmed and supported by the group.


AAddendum Iddendum I

86

Describe The SituationThe moderator begins by asking the presenting teacher to describe the student and

the problem. The moderator’s objective is to have the presenting teacher explain theparticulars of the student’s behavior in enough detail so that members of thegroup can visualize what the student is doing. The moderator will begin with anopen-ended prompt such as:

“Will you please tell us exactly what Jimmy doesthat is causing the difficulties?”

The presenting teacher’s initial description may leave certain areas of the stu-dent’s functioning incomplete or vague. The moderator will ask for clarification bysaying:

“Can everybody visualize exactly how this stu-dent is behaving? If not, please ask more ques-tions until you can see the problem in yourmind’s eye.”

Describe Attempts To Solve The ProblemFollowing clarification of the problem, the moderator will ask the presenting

teacher to explain the various attempts at problem solving that they have tried todate. This can be done with a prompt such as:

“What kinds of things have you tried up untilnow in dealing with this problem, even thoughthey may not have been entirely successful?”

The presenting teacher will describe to the group his or her attempts at problemsolving in detail. These strategies usually include most of the “solutions” thatwould have been offered earlier as advice by group members.

Share Critical ReinforcersThe final step in the presenting teacher’s description of the problem is to list

those reinforcers which are especially valued by this student. This knowledge iscrucial to the development of any incentive system. The moderator might say:

“What kinds of things might serve as rein-forcers for Jimmy? Think of anything he wouldwork for on a predictable basis.”

87

Group SharingThe moderator will now utilize the group to generate additional solutions to the

problem. The moderator, however, carefully avoids opening the group up to pre-scribing full-blown solutions to the problem. Rather, the moderator will elicit thesharing of experiences by asking group members to describe attempts to solvesimilar problems in the past. The moderator can use a prompt such as:

“Has anybody in the group ever had a studentlike this? If so, what kinds of things did you try,even if they were only partially successful.”

There usually follows an outpouring of sympathy and experiences of equalfrustration in addition to the sharing of techniques that have shown promise.This interaction tends to be highly supportive and rich with commiseration,brainstorming and idea generation.

During this time the presenting teachers will often report that they already havea solution. Simply talking about the situation and hearing from other membersof the group may help an individual to look at the problem in a new way.

The moderator is free to become more active in this portion of the meeting bycontributing anecdotes of his or her own. The moderator must, however, followone rule in order to avoid dampening the group interaction. If the moderator hassomething to add, they must wait until last.

Group BrainstormingUp to this point the Group Problem Solving Process has avoided the genera-

tion of solutions to the problem in the form of prescriptions. By this time in theprocess, however, the presenting teacher will feel adequately understood and sup-ported so that additional suggestions can be made with minimum threat.

Group members may have perfectly good ideas that do not come directly fromclassroom experience. This is the time for such suggestions.

“Does anybody have any other ideas for solvingthis problem that perhaps don’t come fromexperiences that you have had in the class-room?”

With severe discipline problems, the moderator must make sure that OmissionTraining has been considered before the discussion turns to the Backup System.Omission Training is often omitted, even though it would often be the preferredsolution, because few colleagues use it on a day-to-day basis.

Describe The Planned InterventionThe final portion of the Group Problem Solving Process is a request for the

presenting teacher to describe to the group his or her intervention plans for thecoming week. The moderator might say:

“On the basis of all that’s been said, what kindsof things seem most helpful to you, and whatdirection do you think you will take?”

Plans should be described in full detail at this time when the specifics of thesituation are clear to everyone. If the plan seems vague, the moderator may facili-tate clarification with a prompt such as:

“Before we go on to another topic, let’s spendsome more time defining the exact nature ofthis program so that we have the details inmind.”

Practice The Intervention (optional)If the presenting teacher plans to utilize Praise, Prompt and Leave or Limit

Setting to deal with a problem, they may need some additional practice orrehearsal. At this point the moderator of the meeting would become the coach of“Mess Up” or “Goof Up.” The moderator should be active in suggesting addition-al practice when it seems appropriate.

During role playing, the moderator uses one device to explicitly protect thepresenting teacher. This device is to make the presenting teacher play the role of thestudent with the problem. In this way the presenting teacher can give an enactmentof the problem that is lifelike. And they will not have to play the role of theteacher before they are sure of what to do. Once the intervention has been“debugged,” the presenting teacher can switch roles with the person playing teacherin order to gain mastery.

88

89

Peer Observation FeedbackThe Focus Of Sharing

Most of the sharing in Study Groups will take one of two forms:

• Sharing ideas such as PATs, VIPs and enrichment ideas

• Peer observation

Sharing IdeasPAT Bank

Each Study Group meeting will begin with someone sharing a PAT. Ratherthan explaining it, the PAT will be played by the group for 5-10 minutes, and theperson sharing the PAT will write it up as an addition to the group’s PAT Bank.

Instructional ActivitiesAdditional sharing may include lesson plans on a given topic, ideas for inter-

est centers, enrichment activities, teaching formats, etc. In addition, membersshould share material from other workshops so that integration of skills and con-cepts from different programs may take place.

Peer ObservationThe Feedback Vacuum

One of the greatest barriers to professional growth in education is the fact thatmost teachers operate in a “feedback vacuum.” While the weaker teacher maytake comfort in their privacy behind closed doors, most teachers would rathercollaborate, share, and receive feedback. However, peer observation is a power-ful tool for learning only if it is safe.


AAddendum Jddendum J

Observation GuidelinesThe following guidelines will help make peer observation safe, comfortable

and productive.

1) Team with someone you like and respect.

2) Decide who will be:

• Teacher

• Observer

3) Plan the lesson and design the VIP together.

4) Make the observation absolutely non-judgmental and non-evaluative.Advice-giving will be rare if the observer begins feedback with the follow-ing two agenda items:

• Tell the teacher being observed what you liked.

• Ask the teacher to tell you more about the lesson.

5) This observation process will be far more comfortable for a new teacherif they begin by observing a more experienced teacher rather than beingthe one observed.

90

Documents

Fred Jones Tools Tools Teaching for Teaching